$48 billion on pace to be the best on record. will the holiday cheer carry over into the new year? and spousal spying. a father checking his wife's e-mail because he thought she was having an affair. he now faces up to five years behind bars.

tuesday, december 28, 2010. >> narrator: from nbc and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning, i'm ann curry. >> and i'll lester holt. matt and meredith are off. easier getting in today. >> no snowshoes required today. >> a little popping under your feet. when all is said and done, 80 million americans it's estimated will have been impacted in some way from this blizzard. >> it was a monster storm in every sense of the word. there's all that snow to get out of the way now. and a big backlog at the airport. stranded travellers received a bit of good news when all three major airports that serve new york city reopened.

but it could be the weekend before things are actually all back on track. we're going to get the latest about that. plus it's scary enough to be at home with a newborn during a storm. so imagine how you would feel if your family became trapped on a highway for more than eight hours during the peak of the storm? one family is here, they're going to share their agonizing story with us. >> and there actually is a hero involved in that story. but first let's get right to the aftermath of the blizzard of 2010. beginning with nbc's jeff rossen who's 43 blocks north of us. >> reporter: cabin fever is setting in for a lot of people in the northeast. 80 million people, i think that's a lot of family time if they have overstayed their welcome. the side streets are actually getting plowed and i have been around on the highways overnight as well. the highways are doing well as well. but take a look at this. on the side streets, the plows a

double edge sword. you stand above the cars, they can't get themselves out. there is some good news to report this morning as i try to get out of this mess. the airports are finally open as you mentioned, and some trains with delays are now running as well. >> oh, my god, are you kidding he? >> reporter: you know it's bad when the plow has to be towed. in this home video posted on youtube monday, new york city workers are caught on camera smashing a parked sufficiev in brooklyn. the sanitation department tells nbc this is common during snowstorms and car's owner will likely be paid for the damage. emergency vehicles all over the city, stuck, just like tens of millions of people up and down the east coast, driving home. >> just for 20 minutes just going around in a circle.

>> reporter: how are you feeling? >> it's awful, the city is completely shut down. >> reporter: stuck on subways. these passengers were trapped for six hours because of a snow drift. and stuck in airports. sleeping and waiting for days. any idea when you can get home? >> they have us confirmed for wednesday. >> reporter: wednesday? >> and we're going to be on stand by all day today. >> reporter: new york's airports are all reopened but it doesn't mean the airplanes are ready to go. thousands of flights are already canceled for today. >> i was on stand by for an 11:40 flight and now i'm rolled back to a 3:45 because that got canceled also so it's nuts in there. >> reporter: nuts because the problems in the northeast ripple through the country, from atlanta. >> all i want to do is go home. >> reporter: to chicago. >> now i can't get out until friday. >> reporter: to denver, all the way to los angeles.

>> all of our plans thrown out the window. we're going to do everyone we can to make our vacation happen, but mother nature, she's in charge. >> reporter: airlines hope to resume normal operations later today or tomorrow. another option? the train. passengers in philadelphia were stranded for hours monday, even as amtrak resumed service. >> all of the trains are sold out and everyone is delayed anyway so i have to wait until sometime later in the week. >> reporter: good idea, the digout will take days, unless you're a tourist who can leave. >> i'm from orlando. this is the first time i have ever seen snow. and i'm freezing, but i love it. >> reporter: had to end on a nice note there, she was having a gate time in the snow. we just checked in the airlines and have the very latest precancellation numbers. here's the good news, it's totalling in the hundreds of canceled flights today versus the thousands by this time yesterday. the key is get to the airport

and check ahead of time with your carrier because they're trying to get all the planes back to the new york area, boston, philly and the rest of the northeast, because they move those planes away ahead of the storm. lester, this could be your car. i can't tell, i don't know. >> we're expecting to have it cleared by the bottom of the hour. jeff rossen, thanks very much. as jeff is showing us, digging out is a big problem. the sound of shovels and snow blowers can be heard all across the northeast. in philadelphia this morning, people are getting ready for a rare tuesday night nfl game all because of the snow. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: never mind the huge piles of snow in this empty parking lot, it was the emptiness of the parking lot on sunday night that has rattled some people more than the weather has. elsewhere on the east coast, dealing with the elements is still topic number one.

nothing like waking up from a holiday slummer to the sound of howling winds. and metal versus sidewalks. in connecticut, massachusetts, harder to see anything for the tens of thousands who lost power. in boston, mass, a tree felled by snow took down a line and then burned down this centuries old home. >> the nightmare. >> reporter: these are the things you don't predict. the snow finally stopping is only the first step. there's still the bitter cold. and awful conditions. stores sold out of shovels. a home depot in new jersey where coastal towns shivered under two feet of snow was selling a snow blower every two minutes.

new york's central park, 20 inches. philadelphia a foot. there was more than plows could keep up with for a while, this is once the plows were dug out. and then when they went and postponed the eagles-vikings football game, for a lot of people that was the that broke -- >> that goes against everything that football's about. >> i don't think there's a question that it was a right call. >> we have become a nation of wusses. if this was in china, do you think the -- >> we would have loved for them to play the game, but we understand why not. >> reporter: for most in the northeast, football is the least of their discomfort at the moment. the governor says there are no

cancellations in football. the daily news here called the people who made this decision the wimps to stole christmas. i mean the last time this did happen in the nfl was 1932, although that game was only postponed a couple of hours. this one two whole days. it will be played tonight, leathele let -- lester. >> you can catch the eagles and the vikings in a special tuesday night edition of sunday night football starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern time right here on nbc. it's now 7:09, here's ann with more. >> now to one of the more dramatic stories tied to the storm and thankfully this one has a happy ending, a naval seaman was driving to his mother's house with his wife and 3-month-old son, they were stranded for eight hours until someone came to the record. we're talking about andrew lauda, along with his wife

kristen and their son christopher. good morning to all three of you. let's go back in time and talk about what happened. it was sunday morning, 7:30 a.m., in norfolk, virginia, you're saying i'm going to go see my mom, she lives in queens, you're on the phone, everything is fine until what? >> we were driving and the snow started to hit harder in virginia. then we got to maryland and it seemed to be slowing down and once we hit new jersey, it kind of got really bad. but we were too far into the trip to actually turn around. but it seemed like we could make it. and as the hours kept going by for the trip, it turned what would be a six, seven hour trip to a 19-hour trip just driving. >> but eight hours of that, you're actually stuck, you're actually not moving. you call 911 and what happens? >> they were neither responding because of all the snow that was on the ground.

in fact the precinct we were near, their calls were down because of the snow. >> kristen, what are you thinking at this point? you've got a 3-month-old baby in your arms? >> i was just thinking we have got to get him somewhere out of the cold weather. at this point we were just desperate to get anybody and everybody to just come. even if they just get the baby and get him someplace warm. >> exactly. and here's the rub. you're home on leave because you have been serving and you come home and this is actually the first time you have actually met your son. he was just born three months ago. so what was it like for you dealing with this as a new father and knowing that your family was in jeopardy? >> i just kind of wanted to keep my head level because i needed to make sure that she -- that my wife would not flip, i wanted to make sure he didn't get scared for what was happening.

i was trying to keep a level head so that he wouldn't be upset about it. >> you're trying to stay calm, which is where your naval training came n so your aunt called a local tv station, they told your story. and this guy named carlos calderon hears about it and he comes out. >> he actually drove out in the storm. he came to where he were actually trapped and he actually came up there. he came to get us. and he brought me, my wife and my son to my mother's house and then he actually took another trip back with me to go get our puppy that was in the car and go get whatever else we needed from the car and drove me back to the house. >> he says he's not a hero, his name is carlos calderon. there was something good that came out of this. what was it? >> the one upside to it was after a six-month deployment, i

was able to spend a lot of time with my family and not able to go anywhere else. so that was the positive side of it. >> andrew and kristen, thank you so much. and good luck with that baby, christopher. thank you so much for being here. it's 7:12. here's lester. parts of the south are -- kerry sanders is in lake land, florida for us. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester, i'm in a strawberry field here and that is a strawberry completed coated in ice intentionally by the farmers. i have got the thermometer out, but take a look at the picture i snapped this morning. that really tells the picture, that's the frost on the window of my car, a record 25 degrees. it's a winter wonderland, but this is florida where the nation's winter citrus and strawberries are this morning

encased in a cocoon of ice. >> we don't have many days to get this orange to the juice plant. >> reporter: this is the second time this month that this farmer has faced crop loss due to the cold season. >> it could be a long season. or it could be a short season, depending on how many more of these freezes we have to go through. >> reporter: the weather this month has already cost florida's agriculture industry $275 million and the nonstop rain in the california earlier this month damaged winter crops there nationwide, consumers can expect prices to keep rising. throughout the south, states not used to a heavy dump of snow are still in shock. although few complained about a

rare white christmas, it's just now it's still here. >> we got the four-wheel drive going, go a little slower. >> reporter: in the carolinas, drives are now digging deep for patience. >> i'm going to have to drive today, i just have to keep it easy. >> reporter: on virginia coast, residents performed a rare morning ritual they hope not to repeat soon, digging deep to find their cars. back in florida, some jacksonville residents reported flurries and a water main break made for even more treacherous conditions on the roads. and even further south in miami, where folks normally go to escape the cold weather, even in this tropical paradise, residents and tourists alike are trading swimsuits for snow suits. a freezing month and this is the supposed temperate south.

>> you're born and raised in the farming business and you just learn to deal with it. >> reporter: we have got a record cold across the south and in florida, but unlike where you are, lester, it's going t >> you had me until that point, kerry. thanks very much. i was feeling the sympathy. good morning, everyone. wild weather isn't only a problem here on the east coast. a new storm will spread rain and mountain snow from washington state in oregon to central california. this, of course, after a week of torrential downpours wreaked havoc in southern california, even causing this major roadway to be swallowed up in a landslide. there's good news out west while four women lost while snowshoeing in washington state have been found alive and well. thank goodness for that. shoppers rang in the cheer and rang up a fortune for retailers, spending more this holiday season since the start of the recession.

as the numbers continue to roll in, it could be the best season on record. even the blizzard that tore up the east coast couldn't keep shoppers from hitting the sales racks. the u.s. embassy in london was reportedly targeted by nine men arrested last week in the uk. the men made their first court appearance monday and have been accused of conducting reconnaissance on the american embassy and the london stock exchange and preparing acts of terrorism. i want to head over to the new york stock exchange. amanda, what are investors watching today? >> we're watching the u.s. dollar, natalie. good morning to you. because with the u.s. dollar being a little bit weaker this morning, we should see that being supportive of both stocks and commodities, talking of which gold is rocketing up this morning. natural the blizzard here in the northeast is creating a lot of demand for heating oil. crude oil have risen 15%. we have economic data to guide the markets-to-and we need the data to justify the rise in oil.

watching american home price and also consumer confidence. back to you. the frosty temperatures across much of the country have left travellers of all species stranded. left travellers of all species stranded. this cow was on thin ice when it couldn't gain it's footing on a frozen oklahoma pond. but the terrified animal was spotted by a look news chopper pilot who used his helicopter blades to blow the baby back across the pond and back on to dry land. poor little guy. back now to ann, lester and al. >> that cold air kerry was talking about is going to put a damper on all the folks vacations in the southeast. hard freeze warnings in central and southern florida. 39 right now in miami. afternoon temperatures will

rebound into the low 60s and then moderate some by tomorrow. good morning to you, bay area. we have light scattered showers forwards the east and the north bay. that will be the case for this morning. by noon the front alive rifs with heavy and moderate rain pushing inland by about 10:00 p.m. heavy rainfall around here and up to tlooer itches in the north bay. the entire thing will clear out as we head to tomorrow morning. expect cold air to pull in behind it. have a great tuesday. >> and that's your latest weather. all right, al, thanks. still ahead this morning, a father facing up to five years in prison for logging into his wife's e-mail account. we're going to hear from him in our next half hour, but first this is "today" on nbc.

so you ask yourself, what is 32 inches of snow over the course of 20 hours look like in about 15 seconds? take a look at this. remarkable time lapsed video taken by photographer mark black. >> a photo taken every five minutes in his town of belmont, new jersey. >> my goodgoodness. >> it's gotten 1.5 million hits since it was posted on monday. >> muc much more coming up on t mccoy sextuplets after your local news.

what's going on? we ordered a gift online and we really need to do something with it... i'm just not sure what... what is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier than ever with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. plus i can pick it up for free. perfect because we have to get that outta this house. c'mon, it's not that... gahh, oh yeah that's gotta go... priority mail flat rate shipping only from the postal service. a impler way to ship and return. [ male announcer ] it's here. the all-new chevy cruze. msn autos called it "the class of its class right now." but that's not the only story. it's got turn-by-turn navigation, onstar, an available six-speed automatic transmission, remote keyless entry, and 10 air bags. it's a big story for a compact car.

the all-new chevrolet cruze. get used to more. very well-qualified lessees can get a low-mileage lease on a 2011 chevrolet cruze ls for around $159 a month. call for details. ♪ you know how i feel i feel like jennifer hudson but with new arms, new legs, and this smile. ♪ freedom is mine ♪ and i know how i feel i'm loving weight watchers new pointsplus program

and the edge it's giving me. ♪ it's a new dawn, a new day i've got even more control now. ♪ and i'm feeling good go on, join for free. weight watchers new pointsplus. because it works. good morning to you. i'm laura garcia cannon. new word of a big rig and an armored vehicle. >> clash of the titans. southbound 880 and no injuries are respected. there is a minor fuel leak in the lanes. five or 10 gallons have been to be clear. both of the large vehicles are moved to the shoulder. all the slowing is south out of san leandro. a lighter volume of traffic and this is an unexpected slow down for the east bay. go ahead and go on by. you can still make it there. >> showers could slow you down

and slick conditions in the north bay where we had light showers through the area. overall a nice break before the front actually arrives later on this afternoon. heavy periods of rain and 56 degrees for the forecast and a moearly.y ew s on wednesda re more news in a minute.

>> a state assembly bill to make rave parties illegal in

california would have banned parties like this at the cow palace in october. the assembly woman is setting it aside after opposition since introducing it last week. they want to work with industry insiders, youth groups and government to ban any public event at night with music and lasting more than 3 1/2 hour. it's too vague for a lot of people. we will have another update in a half hour or so. have a great morning.

7:30 now on a tuesday morning, december 28th, 2010. a pretty shot of new york city, the top of the rock after the storm. this time yesterday, that would have been a sheet of ice. we have a terrific crowd outside our window on the world. joining them a bit later on. i'm lester holt, along with ann curry. >> nice to have you here, lester, especially since you were working late last night on "nightly." coming up, we will talk about a cheating spouse and one who checked her e-mail and facing charges because he

decided to take a peek at his wife's e-mail. also ahead, we will catch up with the world's first surviving set of sextuplets. we've been talking to them over the course of years and now, they have turned 13 and we take a look from when they were born to the arrival of their teen years. when you see all this in perspective, you get a sense how hard it's been on the parents and how much of a challenge it's been. >> that will be fun to see. the pop culture stars we remember from 2010, from betty white to jersey shore and newly engaged prince william. we look at the biggest names of the year. we begin with more on this storm has people digging out of the east coast and in massachusetts, this morning, mike, how are you doing? >> doing okay, ann, off my snow pile, out on the ground here. it is a windy cold morning in massachusetts, as the sun rises. temperatures are in the teens, windchills at or below zero, there is a lot of snow on the

ground, people still shoveling it. back to yesterday as the blizzard wound down in boston, 18.2 inches. look at the snow out there. the 10th largest snowstorm on record but the roads are in pretty good shape. s skit skitty -- scituate got hit hard all because of a winter hurricane, because of the pressure. it dropped to 961 millibars. that is really synonymous with a strong category 2 or weak category 3 hurricane. with a nor'easter or blizzard, winds are spread out. look at the peak wind gusts, nantucket, gusting over hurricane force and new york, 36 miles an hour wind gusts and on long island, almost 70 miles an hour. more wind. this morning, islands over 50

across the northeast and windchill is biting as winds gust 30-40 miles an hour today, ann. they will die down tonight. by new year's day, temperatures in new york, boston, will be in the 40s. a nice recovery coming up and pretty good snow melt in the big apple. >> nice of you to end on good news although i was thinking about sending you a bigger coat because you look cold. mike seidel, thank you so much. more on the storm and the rest of the forecast, outside to al. >> ann, if you notice, we have our lovely crowd here, but nobody over here. the problem is, ice is falling, as it's melting from this building off the plaza. we are making sure everybody stays safe. including leonard. good to see you, my friend. let's check your weather to see what's going on. we have the pineapple express from hawaii across the pacific

bringing heavy rain and mountain snows into the pacific northwest. rainfall in northern and central california, up to 4 inches of rain. sno snowfall in the mountains, 2 to 3 feet, talking a lot of snow. it will make its way east to the mid-section of the country >> good morning to you, bay area. you can see the leading edge of a front that will bring heavy periods of rain to the area throughout this afternoon and this evening. we have a few light scattered showers right now, but the leading edge is right here on the radar. it will take a while it get here. by noon, the front arrives bringing heavy and moderate precipitation to the north bay and heavy rain throughout the day. have a great day and bring the umbrella. you guys have been stuck here since when? >> sunday. >> sunday.

it's your birthday, dear. what's your name? >> matty. >> they send send money. they've run out of money. you can check your weather to see if you can get out of town by going to weather on cable or weather.com. with that big storm, it moved the calendar. that's right, you think it's tuesday night but it's sunday night, football night in america! special edition, vikings versus the eagles in philadelphia at lincoln financial stadium. temperatures dropping down into the 20s on sunday night. football night in america on tuesday! lester. >> tuesday's the new sunday. al, thanks very much. have you ever been tempted to read your spouse's e-mails? it may seem harmless but a michigan man is finding out it could lead to possibility of jail time. natalie. >> reporter: lester, this is a

cautionary tale, bottom line, spying on your spouse or partner can get you in a whole lot of trouble. >> reporter: it's a case of spousal snooping that could land leon behind bars. last year, he suspected his wife, clara was having an affair after finding calls on her iphone bill to a previous husband. concerned about the welfare of their 1-year-old daughter, walker decided to check her e-mail on a laptop in their home, logging into her personal g mail account, he said, because he knew her password. walker said his suspicions were confirmed. >> she kept a copy of every password she had next to her computer in her address book. i felt with the risk to my daughter and to my stepson, i had an obligation to check. i had no choice. in doing so, in going in there, i confirmed everything i was concerned about and then some. >> that was his account. according to prosecutors, leon walker broke into his wife's account several months after she filed for divorce.

in court testimony, clara walker claimed her husband installed a hacking device that allowed him to track her e-mail activity. the 33-year-old mr. walker, employed as an it technician, has been charged with felony computer misuse. if convicted, he faceses up to five years in prison. >> history files, websites visit visited, hidden download search, e-mail history, memory spy. you hide from me now little man. >> reporter: spying on spouse is nothing new but some snooping husbands and wives may not realize in this new age of technology, peeking in the wrong places can actually be illegal. >> there is a slippery slope here to say if e-mail is okay, why not diaries? why not doctor records? why not psychiatrist records? why not all sorts of other records a spouse might not want the other spouse to see. >> reporter: leon walker's

attorney believes if reading your spouse's e-mail is criminal, it could open the floodgates. >> there was going to be a concerted effort in the future to prosecute everybody who looks at somebody else's e-mail under their roof, they better built a bunch more courthouses because we don't have enough courthouses. >> we reached clara walker's attorney and said his client is not coming out of respect to third parties. please be warned mr. walker is a self-described a k tore who lost primary custody of his child for good reasons brought out during four days of testimony in the divorce proceedings. leon walker is due in court in february. lester. >> thanks. legal analyst, ricky, is a former prosecutor and analyst. i read the statute. it seems to apply in this case, doesn't it? >> it's a gray area. we're talking about people who might be stealing trade secrets,

looking to steal intellectual property, people looking to commit identity theft. that's what these statutes were originally about, not intended to have the spouse look into the other spouse's e-mail. however, if you read the letter of the law, might there be a prosecution? clearly, this prosecutor thinks it's serious enough to go forth with it. >> i know a legal standard you often here is expectation of privacy, e-mails. she had apparently given him permission on other occasions to read her e-mail. does that carry over? >> yes. i think it scarce over and in his favor. if i share a computer with my spouse, we have a husband and wife who share a computer, they may have different pass words. according to him she has a little list of all her pass words next to her computer so he could see what's in there. >> if you give you my credit card and leave it on a piece of paper, that doesn't mean you can use them? >> of course not. at the same time, let's look at

his intent. he says his intent is to protect a child from possible domestic violence. let's say his intent really was to find out about his cheating spouse but in the process finds out he has a child that might really be in danger. what does he do? could give the e-mails to the police or lawyer or therapist. if the police, lawyer and therapist don't act and something happens to the child, who's responsible? i think he's got a great defense here. >> this opens up a can of worms here. i think i read something like 45%- >> 45%, you got the right figure. >> of these cases involve spying on records or e-mail. what about you hear people looking at cell phones, text messages, would that apply to the statute? >> of course. you're dealing with, you can ask any divorce or trial attorney in any city in america, who will say to you, husband or life leaves a blackberry on. the blackberry stays lit at least two minutes before it

shuts down if it has a lock, they go look and say, hmm, who is he or she texting now? what does this mean? are we going to put all these people in prison or prosecute them for felonies? if the legislature wants to enact a specific law that says thou shalt not look at your spouse's intimate e-mails, let them go ahead and do it. if we put this fellow in jail, i'd like to see what's going to happen in probate and divorce courts around the country calling up every prosecutor around. you would think there would be more serious crime we have to deal with. >> if he does end up being locked up, we'll bring you back to talk more. >> i'd love to talk more about this case. >> thank you. >> nice to see you. coming back, the people who put the pop in pop culture. up next, drivers be a atuyo you need to stay safe on ice covered roads. to my doctor again.

we chose symbicort to help control my asthma symptoms all day and night. [ man ] symbicort improves my lung function, starting within 15 minutes. symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. it is a combination of two medicines and should not be taken more often than prescribed. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems, and children and adolescents may have an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma problems. symbicort is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine like inhaled corticosteroids. once your asthma is well controlled, your doctor will decide if you can stop symbicort without loss of control, and prescribe a long-term asthma control medicine. be sure to see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. symbicort is a good choice to help control my asthma all day and night. [ inhales ] [ exhales ] ask your doctor if symbicort is a good choice for you. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. that lets you eat six times a day? yeah, baby! try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan.

3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim fast. who has time to slim slowly? the event you've been waiting for is almost over with 30 years of great deals, everyone's going. fabio? ♪ wow. [ male announcer ] for a limited time, get 0% apr financing on select new corollas, camrys & tundras. plus, every new toyota comes with toyota care, featuring a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. this legendary event only happens once-a-year. don't miss out on the amazing deals at toyotathon. hurry in today. back now at 7: 43 with

something we could all use in the aftermath of the blizzard of 2010, a lesson on how to drive on the snow and ice left behind by the storm. >> reporter: this is the stuff, you got to be careful of, it could be black ice, i would could be very dangerous indeed. aaa says a few things you got to have in your car. of course you've got to have a shovel to dig yourself out, a scraper that goes without saying, a cell phone with a charger you can plug into the car. they also suggest you have a flash flight, a first aid kit in case you get stuck. the window deicer washer fluid. also the ice melt or even kitty litter, you put it under the tires for traction if you get stuck. as for tires themselves, let's go back to the basics. it's one of mother nature's most dangerous even deadly driving

combinations. each year snow and ice are the cause of a million automobile accidents. 64,000 injuries, nearly 1,400 deaths. >> our goal is to teach you to be alert, pro active drives. >> reporter: it all happens on a snow packed track. >> i would like to speed up at the straight aways. >> reporter: in the shadow of steamboat mountain. >> ice magnifies bad driving techniques because you have so little traction. >> reporter: rule number one, watch your speed. >> brakes, brakes, brakes. >> reporter: riding shotgun with me, veteran instructor assures me that even though i have grown up driving in colorado, i still have a thing or two to learn. what's the number one mistake people make when they're out driving on snow and ice?

>> they try to brake and turn at the same time. >> reporter: you got to do one or the other? stopping on snow and ice is take four to ten times longer. and if your car is equipped with anti-lock brakes, the key is to provide steady pressure. the brakes will unlock on their own. a moving tire provides the necessary grip. by pumping the brakes on a car without abs, you get that grip. the experts say when you're in a slide, look in the direction you want to go rather than in the direction you're headed. >> look toward the solution, don't look toward the problem. >> reporter: finally, this is where all the skills come together, the steering the braking, the car has to come down this hill and avoid a car accident represented by these blue cones. then go another 45 feet down the

hill and avoid yet another accident. the first few times, i skidded right through the cones. but with practice -- >> brake. that's it. there you go. >> reporter: the third time was the charm. a better feel for snow and ice and having passed a class may be a break on my car insurance. so remember that if you have anti-lock brakes, most cars do, solid pressure. the brakes are going to pop back up, that's okay, solid pressure. anne, back to you. >> thanks for helping us stay safe in this terrible weather. and coming up, the crazy antics of the mccoy sextuplets, we're going to catch up with them right after this. [ bells jingling ] [ snorting ] [ gasps ] ♪

[ female announcer ] too many holiday treats? [ snorting ] ♪ take the special k challenge, with so many ways to lose up to six pounds in two weeks. what will you gain when you lose? get started at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose? ♪ that comes fromove a little green leaf ♪ ♪ zero-calorie, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ my skinny jeans zipped in relief ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet.

back at 7:49, it seems hard to believe, the mccoy sextuplets, the world's first surviving set of seven celebrates their 13th birthday. >> it is pretty amazing and as you know, we have been spending a lot of time with the mccoy sextuplets throughout the years, but now we put together all 13 years of their lives into one documentary hour where you really see the strength their parents have had to raise these children. the prospect of raising a child is daunting for just about any

parent. bringing up sextuplets and an older sister has been the mccoy's challenge for the past 13 years. >> it really isn't a joke when people say, enjoy them, because it passes so quickly. >> reporter: before our eyes, kenny, alexis, natalee, kenny, nathan, randall and joel have grown into almost adults. their journey boggles the mind. in the first weeks, it was 42 bottles and 50 diapers a day. then the trying times of the early years. >> what is the thing that was the worst about the twos? >> screaming. >> literally there were times when we were brought to our knees. >> reporter: though at times overwhelmed, kenny and bobby have always gotten back up

relying on a genius for patient and practicality. with a household of ten, the mccoys manage at times on a food budget of $300 a month, shopping at warehouses and growing their own produce. around the house, they put the power of numbers to good use. >> they have gotten to be such good helpers and we can dole out the daily chores. >> they do the dish washing? >> yes. >> come on. >> they take care of their own laundry. >> the mci cans are bracing for an old concern. when are you going to let them date? >> when they're 30. >> alexis has a very sincere wish. >> i just want more friends at school and i just want people to know that i'm just a regular girl.

>> few things have stayed the same things 1997. but the mccoy sextuplets story continues to fascinate some people, even as its stars turn into teenagers. in the middle of it you think it's going to last for ever and there's always going to be a tomorrow that's just like this. but it's not, it changes so fast. >> in fact i have a feeling i'm going to be covering them until they're 21. they actually call me aunt ann. the americans turn sextuetsurn airs tonight on tlc by the way. started weight watchers online, , the weight started coming off. ahh! oh my gosh! [ laughs ] we're college kids, we go out all the time. having my food tracker on my phone, i can figure out what i'm having at the restaurant. i lost 73 pounds with weight watchers online.

i don't think i've ever smiled this much in my whole life. it kind of hurts my cheeks. [ female announcer ] join for free today. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks. and i was a pack-a-day smoker for 25 years. i do remember sitting down with my boys, and i'm like, "oh, promise mommy you'll never ever pick up a cigarette." i had to quit. ♪ my doctor gave me a prescription for chantix, a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] chantix is a non-nicotine pill proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these symptoms or behaviors, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. if you develop serious allergic or skin reactions,

stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some of these can be life-threatening. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. dosing may be different if you have kidney problems. until you know how chantix affects you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. ♪ my benjamin, he helped me with the countdown. "ben, how many days has it been?" "5 days, mom. 10 days, mom." i think after 30 days he got tired of counting. [ male announcer ] it's a new year. so, ask your doctor about chantix. and find out how you could save money on your prescription go to chantix.com to learn more and get terms and conditions. i can get a cc for just my signature? that's right, right now you can take home a volkswagen for just your signature. like the cc, or the tiguan. huh. yeah, plus every vw includes scheduled carefree maintenance. really? that's great. there you go. oh, that guy's pretty good too.

yeah, he's ok. [ male announcer ] it's amazing what you can do with a pen. sign then drive is back. for a limited time get any 2011 volkswagen for practically juur your signature.

look alive. it's 8:00 now on a tuesday morning, december 28, 2010. and would you believe it, we have received 28 inches of snow here at rockefeller plaza. but can you tell now looking at it? across the street, we have a very happy crowd enjoying the start of their day with us. in fact a family of 18 is among us, they're staying pretty happy by moving around. matt and meredith have the

morning off. coming up, something we all could use a little bit of. >> we're talking about a snow survival guide, people who are stuck at airports, needing a strategies to get where they are. we had the family on who were stuck in the car earlier. we're going to help you avoid that same kind of fate in a storm like this and give you some important tips about securing your home in the winter. and also we're going to take a look back at the year of 2010 in terms of pop culture, what names, betty white by the way is on our -- everybody behind us said awe when they heard betty white. and if you want the combination of the perfect storm of stress, a big storm and the holidays and if you feel like you're taking it out on your family, we're going to show you how to cope and how to deal with the stress and all that that brings. first let's get a check of

the news with natalie morales filling in for me at the news desk. piles of snow and frigid weather still has thousands of travelers stranded and digging out their homes and cars. the heaviest snow in more than a half a century blanketed much eastern seaboard from florida to tennessee to new england. many flights could be standed through the end of the the weekend. this morning iran says it has hanged an alleged israeli spy. officials also say they have allowed two germany journalists to meet with the man. the fda is warning americans not to eat alfalfa sprouts produced by tiny greens organic farms. the sprouts were distributed in more than four midwestern

states. attorneys for conrad murray want a private lab to test the fluids inside the syringes. murray was jackson's live in doctor who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. wikileaks founder julian assange now has a book deal that he says could be worth more than a million dollars. assange says he was forced to write the book mainly to pay for his legal fees. 56 people are dead in egypt as a swine flu resurfaces. it has affected nearly 1,200 people there since october. the virus break out in 2009 killing about 18,000 people worldwide. president obama made his first public appearance monday while vacationing in hawaii. he stopped by one of his favorite local shops for a little shea bites treats for sasha and malia and some friends. and scientists stay they have discovered some of the

earliest evidence of early man. if you want a clear slate before the new year, you may want to take part in a popular annual festivity in peru. every christmas hundreds of people join a massive fistfight to settle any grievances that might interfere with the friendship. let's go back outside to ann an the smallest sign i think we have ever seen on the "today" show plaza. >> let's show you what's happening as far as your weather is concerned. pick city today, saginaw, michigan. we have got a few flurries, 29 degrees. and we have got a big storm moving into the pacific

northwest, the storm system that caused all the problems in the northeast is getting out of here. the wind continue along the northeast coast. showers and thunderstorms down through central and southern texas, houston may pick up about one to two inches of rain before it's all good morning to you bay area. judging by the live shot over the golden gate bridge it looks as though we'll see a nice day but we're expecting two inches of rain in the east and south bay by about noon. the front pushes towards the west coast distributing moderate rain from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. then the whole thing clears out early wednesday dropping our temperatures, a cold blast behind it. have a great tuesday. >> and that's your latest weather. >> we have have got the almstead

family. we're going to show you how to cope with the aftermath of the blizzard. but it's not something that i want to do completely on my own -- i like to discuss my ideas with someone. that's what i like about fidelity. they talked with me one on one, so we could come up with a plan that's right for me, and they worked with me to help me stay on track -- or sometimes, help me get on an even better one. woman: there you go, brian. thanks, guys. man: see ya. fidelity investments. turn here. oh, bayer aspirin? i'm not having a heart attack. it's my back. it works great for pain. [ male announcer ] nothing's proven to relieve pain better than extra strength bayer aspirin. it rushes relief to the site of pain. feel better? yeah. thanks for the tip.

♪ you know how i feel ♪ freedom is mine ♪ and i know how i feel ♪ and this whole world is a new world ♪ ♪ and a bold world ♪ for me ♪ and i'm feeling good ♪ it's a new day [ jennifer ] weight watchers new pointsplus. because it works.

[ male announcer ] it's here. the all-new chevy cruze. msn autos called it "the class of its class right now." but that's not the only story. it's got turn-by-turn navigation, onstar, an available six-speed automatic transmission, remote keyless entry, and 10 air bags. it's a big story for a compact car. the all-new chevrolet cruze. get used to more. very well-qualified lessees can get a low-mileage lease on a 2011 chevrolet cruze ls for around $159 a month. call for details. how about a coastal soup and grilled shrimp salad combination at red lobster? or maybe skewers of tender, wood-grilled shrimp. or your choice of shrimp paired with wood-grilled chicken. all served with unlimited, freshly-baked cheddar bay biscuits.

seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 that fit into your budget and your lunch hour. only at red lobster. back now at 8:09 with more on the blizzard of 2010. the storm may be over, but the fallout from the storm is far from over. whether you're talking about travel plans, digging out your car or keeping your home safe, we have got some advice. good morning to all of you. thanks so much for coming on. valerie let's start with you and travel. a lot of folks are hearing the airports are open, when can i leave? what should they be keeping in mind right now? >> first of all, the status of your flight you, want to monitor your flight, whether it's delayed or whether it's canceled. so that's number one.

and you want to always call your airline. this is a tip that i have for you. if you are a frequent flyer, you want to utilize the special number because it's going to take the volume away from the throngs and you're going to get through very quickly, so it kind of spreads the information communications. >> what are your rights? we have seen pictures of people camped out on cots, on the floor of the airport. does the airport offer you need, accommodations, what go they give you? >> this is an act of god, it's out of their control. if it were a mechanical problem, they would be more apt to give you those amenities. but no, you have to fend for yourself. the onus is upon you to call the airline if you're canceled so they can put you on the next flight. you can also get your money back, a complete refund. now they're also waiving fees if you want to change your flight.

but they give you a small window of time to do so. >> let's turn to rick and talk about car issues, we had a family on early who was trapped in their car for eight hours. what should you know before venturing out in snowy weather? >> bad weather is strike any time so motorists need to make sure their car can become a temporary shelter, that means bring blankets, warm clothes, have water, a shovel to dig yourself if need be and a cell phone and hopefully with aaa plugged in. >> within a day or two, those folks are going to want to drive their cars what's the best way to get a car out of a snow bank or a stuck area? >> this is one of the rituals of driving, how do i get out of a snow bank? what you want to do is shuffle out around the tires and around the car to create some room. you want to put the car in low

gear, if it's an automatic, if it's a manual, you want to put it actually in second gheear, y want to rock the car back and forth and try and aim it to get out. you can burn out your transmission if you try and look the car too much. >> if all that fails, what should you do? >> well, go in the house, make yourself a vodka martini. or else you call aaa, get some help. but if it's really bad weather, stay in your car, you do not want to stay in your car and be a hero and walk out. >> a lot of folks have shoveled out. how can they help neighbors that are away? these vacation season. there are folks who are going to come home and be like wow. >> the best thing you can do is make it easy for them to get in the house.

maybe shovel the walk in front of the house. if you have time, knock down some of the ice sickles that could fall. >> a normal snowfall is not really a problem. but you can buy a roof rake, it has a long telescoping handle that you can stand on the ground and use it to pull some snow off of your roof, just make sure you're not in the pathway of where it's going to fall on to you. but a bigger issue is actually, take a look around, when we have a storm like this, if your house is the only one without snow on the roof in your area, that might mean your attic is not properly insulated and you run the risk of having the snow melt and it leaks inside later. take a look outside there, you really should have some snow on your roof and it normally isn't a problem. but the roof rake works really well if you're concerneded about the snow building up. >> thankfully we're going to get a thaw, but it's going to be freezing temperatures in the days and weeks to come.

a and that leaves us worrying about pipes. >> you should always have insulation for the pipes, you want to locate the area where it's frozen, you can run a damp rag over a pipe and it will form ice crystals in the area where it's frozen. for sure, insulation is is way to go. >> a lot of folks tiurn to spac heaters, i'm personally afraid of them. but they can be okay if you use them properly? >> they shouldn't be too close to furniture, you should turn them off when you go to bed. you should have your heating system serviced properly so you don't have to rely on a space heater. but it's a good solution if you're working in a garage and you have no heat there. people think they might be more

efficient than turning up the heat, but you might actually see an increase in your electricity bill when you're running one. >> delia, rick, deborah, appreciate you being here. "today" looks back at the year in pop culture right after this. urchase. so we earned a trip to vegas twice as fast! [ brays ] and since double miles add up fast, we can bring the whole gang. is caesar home? we get double miles every time we use our card, no matter what we're buying. thank you! thank you very much! [ garth ] it's hard to beat double miles! if anyone objects, let them speak now or forever hold their... [ bleats ] [ male announcer ] get the venture card from capital one. money magazine's best rewards card if you aim to rack up airline miles. what's in your wallet? cannonball!! [ clang ]

the moisturizer in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. we could do weight watchers online together. it was easy, it was flexible and it worked. ok -- i've got ground turkey, i've got bell peppers so he'd plug it into the recipe builder and it just pulls up tons of recipe options. laura's very competitive,

whenever i was beating her in weight loss numbers -- i always was winning in percentage. i am a little competitive. together we lost 162 pounds. i don't know if you've noticed, but look at this guy. [ female announcer ] join for free today. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks. that saves you hundreds of dollars a year. it's called the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. ♪ it's a breakthrough in medicare prescription drug plans... hey buddy! hey grandpa! ...with monthly plan premiums less than $15 and copays as low as $2. but for savings this big, visit walmart.com or call 1-800-808-4003. introducing the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. a medicare prescription drug plan that's a step forward in health care... and a step forward in affording the things that really matter. but don't forget, you can only save if you enroll by december 31st.

♪ call humana to take advantage of the medicare prescription drug plan with the lowest national premium in the country. go to walmart.com for more details. ♪ "today" looks back 2010 is brought to you by mercedes

bends. back now at 8:18. as "today" looks back at 2010, this morning the year in pop culture, from america's sweetheart betty white to the rise of the glee ks we have got rob chuter, he's with popeater.com. we have got lola who's an entertainment reporter for u.s. magazine. good morning to all of you. so you guys, welcome here. and betty white. it was the year of the whiteout. what happened here? >> she owned this year. she absolutely owned it. you couldn't turn around and not see betty on tv whether it was "snl" or doing commercials, it really was her year. >> i think the snickers commercial really set her back on the map and she owes a lot of

the revival of her career to facebook. >> there's a lot of people who would like to be as popular as betty white is now. >> she's actually like leave me alone. >> she turns 89, i think in january. >> that's proof that it ain't over until it's over. >> that's right. that's good news for all of us. >> she's still working. >> she's america's new sweetheart. i don't know what we say about new jersey, or maybe our wildest uncle. what is going on with new jersey in terms of all the shows that have come out of new jersey? it's the entertainment capital of something? >> it is. jersey shore took everybody by surprise. it is the highest rated show that mtv has ever had. not just this year, ever. the ratings are getting bigger and bigger on the show. >> and it sort of defines pop culture as we're looking at it, it's a bit of a train wreck,

it's a bit crazy and it also gives you a glimpse of a culture that no one knew about. this whole big hair, overtanning it took everybody by storm. >> and there are other shows too. you get the real housewives of new jersey, jersey-licious. even governor christy has become a sensation. >> he was on the sopranos, but he's back on top, it's shocking. >> and a lot of good people come from new jersey. not everybody owns that. let's look at the card dakardas they don't act, they don't sing. what do they do? >> it doesn't matter at this point. people have become obsessed with them they're household names.

you have to give them credit for just building this empire. >> why on what? >> not since j-lo has somebody made so much money for having -- >> that girl is really it in to win it. she has 45 million twitter followers and she works literally her butt off. >> and her whole family has ridden that backside. >> she's been in more magazines than anybody, it's remarkal. >> people are interested in their bodies, their diets, their love lives, their fashions, they can sort of do no wrong. >> i don't expect them to go anywhere. i just read that kim was on the cover of a law magazine.

i think it was the biggest selling issue of the year and when she started selling this volume of magazines, everybody's going to keep putting you on. >> we're talking about sarah palin, because he she has got this big tv show. it the highest rated show on the learning channel. do you think it's fascinating because of the politics or the entertainment of sarah palin? >> i think it's probably a combination of both. her politics are quite defined, she's very rigid about who she is as a politician. but as a celebrity, she's pretty disciplined about who she is. the gossip at the moment is that tlc is trying to renew sarah palin's alaska for another season and sarah hasn't yet signed on, but the ratings are so good, no wonder they want to renew it. it's a huge hit. >> moving on to someone who may not want to be a big trend in 2011, maybe because she feels she's been too much of one

already. and that's lindsay lohan. >> i think she's done irreparable damage to her career, getting in a fight in rehab? i thought she would be able to make a come back. but i'm not so sure anymore. she might end up being our tatum o'neal. >> everybody's just waiting to see what happens when she gets out of rehab. next year will be a big year for her as far as how her career goes. >> one thing a lot of celebrities do not is this incredible talent. even though the packaging has been somewhat soiled and the market has been a little odd around here, she's really talented. if she makes the right moves, she could come back. >> but who's going to take a risk? >> it's hard to get insurance on her. >> some producers are afraid she just won't show up. >> one of the other trends is glee. oh, my goodness.

>> everybody's dancing to glee and i think it surprised everybody, this musical. >> it's a combination of everything. >> the moment was so right, as a nation, we just have to smile and tap our shoes and it makes you feel happy. >> plus in a world where everybody's voice is auto tuned, people like the idea that these kids have actual talent and they're watching people who are really talented perform. >> we used to gather around the water cooler to talk about what happened on lost the night before and now people go and talk about glee and which saong they sang and which was the best song and it's something people can share. >> 13 million people tuned in to see britney spears. i want to get the last two, prince william and kate midd middleton and also sandra bullock is a big one as well. looking forward to 2011, back after your local news. to

your evening commute. right now, light scattered showers making their way from santa rosa through sacramento. as we head through the afternoon, the intensity could increase, could pick up 2 inches of rain. 56 degrees, not too bad today. we're back after the break'r [ female announcer ] these are the crescents you love on a holiday.

and these are the ones you'll love on a friday. pillsbury crescent pizza pockets. with just a few ingredients, you have an easy to make dinner. they're crescents for the other 364. try them tonight. with cinnabon cinnamon have such a sweet and delicious aroma that my family can't wait to get their hands on them. enjoy cinnabon cinnamon... now in all pillsbury cinnamon rolls. buyer be wear, the oakland

police department is reporting a series of robberies involving craigslist. all victims have responded ads for cars. they arrive at the designate meeting place and were robbed. they are warned not to carry cash. there's a $10,000 reward leading to information in the case. i'll have another update in half hour on so. "today" show returns in less than a minute.

who was that masked man? 8:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 28th of december, 2010. just trying to grab a little more face time. it's cold here on rockefeller plaza.

we have a lot of smiling faces waving hello. thanks for coming out and braving the snowy sidewalks. >> that's why they're all over here, because ice is falling from the building. >> we have had to bunch people together. >> you can see the ice on the lower left on those windows. those don't like big enough to be dangerous. >> but when they fall from 20 stories. >> we have no ice on this side. we're good here. >> we have got something to warm up, though, right? we're going to go to the kitchen and we're going to learn how to create a hearty italian dish to serve on new year's eve. also not to be the grinch, the holidays, of course the most wonderful time of year but they can be very stressful. sometimes it can lead to anger and hostility, especially if

you're caught in the storm for a very, very long time. when is the next flight out. >> let me call the airline for you. >> we have got some coping strategies coming up. we're going to look back at some of the good times we have had from studio 1a over to the mountains of vancouver. a lot of dancing on the "today" show dance party. >> you've got a check of the weather first. check it out for you, show you for today, we have got a lot of wet weather in the pacific northwest. stormy conditions in the mountains, record lows down in florida. tomorrow, temperatures mild up a bit down through the gulf coast, wet weather down through the lower mississippi river valley.

good morning to you bay area. we do have showers on the way. you can see overcast skies over san francisco from our san bruno we are. what we are anticipating in terms of timing of the heaviest rain, it will be between 1:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., we could see two inches. gusty winds ahead of the front and heavy rain throughout the night. have a great tuesday. >> and with this wild weather, you might want to check out the weather channel, two, three, four times a day or go to weather.com online. how to keep your anger in check especially during these stressful times, but first this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" relationships, don't get mad or

even, get glad. the stresses of the season, the parties, the shopping, the kids home from school, the planes being canceled, it can all cause us to reach our boiling point. we have gail salt here to give us some tips. for a lot of people in times like these, is the problem of being able to actually express themselves, people sometimes will hold it in. they don't actually express themselves. >> anger is a normal emotion. it's a healthy emotion. it actually protects us if we are being attacked that we need to assert ourselves. you're right not coping with it well, which is either getting very aggressive and churned up and exploding or internalizing it is not good for us not only psychologically, it causes actually hypertension and other health problems if you really hold it in. >> what's the blanket approach

because we don't want to create a problem be harmony, and yet we don't want to hurt ourselves. >> what you want to aim for is to be able to express your anger by being assertive, not aggressive. there's a difference. you want to in a mutually respectful way, i don't like this and we need to figure out a solution. we need to treat the other person decently and treat yourself decently. when you erupt and become a maniac and start saying terrible and nasty things to people, it's not just that it's not good for you, and it not good for them, later on it doesn't work for you because it really ruins your relationships. >> and a lot of this is about words, a lot of it is about tone. let's take it one by one, let's talk about the words. >> words, you want to aim for, as i said, being respectful. so you can say what you feel, you can say what you need, but what you can't say is, you know,

blanket statements like this means you're a horrible person. you want to stay away from the forever, this is the most, this is the worst. because one, it's not true, usually. and two, it just churns you up further. so when you're trying to handle your anger, self-talk, how you speak to yourself is very important. you want to diffuse yourself by saying, okay, i don't like this, but it not the worst. >> it seems to me that if you can learn how to handle your anger, you can get along so much better in life. this is a fundamental thing and we haven't learned it. >> you know why we haven't learned it? it's okay to be anxious, it's okay to be depressed, but it's not okay to be angry. so we haven't taught our children how to handle anger well. >> they're showing us on reality

television -- >> in a way that is not so healthy by blowing up and saying hurtful things which has long lasting ramifications. >> you can say i'm really angry with you and this is how it's making me feel and i really want to talk about this or you can say i'm really angry and if you raise your tone, it completely changes the message. >> it's okay to raise your voice somewhat. sometimes kids hear nothing but everything is -- so they don't learn how to -- it's okay to say i am angry and i really mean it without going berserk, but later say we resolved our anger issue and that's important for families to be able to do. on the other hand, sometimes people use tone to be passive aggressive which is also not helpful. so i'm going to seem very, very sweet while i really tell you something that's going to -- >> punch you in your stomach. >> it not only ruins the

relationship, but internally you're still releasing adrenali adrenaline, you're still causing yourself hypertension because inside you're chronically angry. >> passive aggression. but meantime, dealing with what you described works with people who don't have a short fuse. >> correct. >> there's home who they're either wired or they've been taught to blow up. >> both, some people are more wired from birth to be more aggressive and more easily angered and some people blow up in chaotic and noncommunicative families. you're right some people are more prone to be angry and they need to recognize it and learn coping skills. those skills are relaxation techniques, so deep breathing as you start to get annoyed, take some deep breaths. self-talk. say to yourself, this is the thing that annoys me, i need to stay calm.

relax. have key words for yourself. you can say i don't want to have to stand on this line for 15 minutes, it makes me angry. but really, it's 15 minutes and this person who's waiting at the front of the line for me didn't do it to me. angry people tend to feel frankly very entitled, if they don't get what they want, the world's doing it to them. if they can restructure that thought and tell themselves, actually these people aren't out to get me, i just find this situation annoying. and during the holidays, if there's situations that really annoy the heck out of you, it's okay to avoid them a bit. >> thank you so much for trying to make sure we have harmony in our families. but coming up next, the downhill dangers facing your family if the kids are eager to go sledding today. bu

back now at 8:43. with all the snow on the east coast, your kids may be begging you to go sledding. but as nbc's john yang will tell us, it's a fun activity that comes with dangerous risks. john, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester, when we think about winter sports injuries, we think about skiing and snowboarding. but when researchers looked at sledding injuries, they were surprised by what they found. it seems like simple old-fashioned fun. take a slope, add snow, sleds and kids. but it can also be very dangerous, even deadry. . >> okay, we're heading for the ambulance. >> reporter: according to a first of its kind study, sledding accidents send an average of 21,000 children to hospitals each year.

sledders reach speeds of 19 miles an hour, faster even than the average biker. 9% of cases resulted in traumatic brain injurieinjuries. >> they can range in severity from something very mild to very severe. take very seriously. do want >> juan miller and holly miller say they never realized the risk until their 12-year-old son ian died in a sledding accident in january. >> who would have thought and we had no idea how actually prolific this is. >> reporter: an accomplished athlete, ian was on a boy scout trip to a ski resort. his parents say he was sledding down a beginners slope when he hit a ski lift tower at high speed suffering a massive head injury. at the hospital, emergency workers found a bible verse inside one of his boots. it was from the book of james and said in part, the testing of

your faith developing perseveran perseverance. >> it was an immensely emotional experience to them in the emergency room. but also to us. >> reporter: ian's parents are meeting their test for the charity called in ian's boots which gives shoes and winter boots to the needy and by pushing for laws to get public parks and ski areas to require young sledders to wear helmets. >> this is the most horrific time of our life and we can either curl up and cry or, you know, we can try to make some sense out of it. >> reporter: the experts say the biggest piece of advice is to never, ever ride on a sled being pulled or towed by a vehicle. >> john yang in chicago this morning, john thanks very much. up next, we're going to switch gears and have the perfect italian feast to ring in the new

year. but first this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:48. this morning on "today's" holiday kitchen. a new year's eve feast. it might be cold on the outside, but you can stay warm on the inside with a hearty italian meal.

the owner of several restaurants here in new york. michael, good morning. happy almost new year. and we're talking ragu? >> this is a simple recipe, for a snowy day like we have in new york city. you can do it very simply. what we have here is a little bit of italian sausage and a little bit of olive oil. >> how do you -- you can also buy it already ground that's not inside an italian sausage. >> stir that up and cook it for a few minutes. >> this this pan, what we're going to do is pop this out. we're going to show you how to cook this after you have the ground meet heat here. we're going to put the onions in here, we're going to sweat this over the heat. >> i like the way you talk to

me. >> a little bit of heat. you can throw that little bit of parsley in. >> all of it? >> yes, go ahead. >> that's the italian parsley. i love the flavor of that. >> salt and black pepper. now this, this cuts right here into what we have done here. >> just a few minutes? >> exactly. no what we're going to do is put this back into this pasta pan, we're going to be glazed with a built of the white wine. >> can i just mention? the aroma in your kitchen, if you do this in your kitchen, boy, oh, boy. everybody's going to be in there. >> we're going to let this evaporate and we're going to pour the tomato sauce in. >> and you've also put some garlic? >> you're going to add the tomato and the tomato paste. >> both of them, why is that. >> the tomato pace is a little bit thicker and the tomato sauce

is more fluid. >> this is pasta that we previously cooked. >> this is made of spinach? >> this is spinach and a little bit of regular egg pasta. >> this is beautiful, so colorf colorful. >> this is the first time of macaroni pasta. in italian, it means little weeds because they look like little weeds. they're ripe in the springtime when we have the little green ferns. >> i want to do the tasting. >> we'll bring this up to temperature, and we're going walk it back and we're going to put it right here. i promise i won't get anything on you. >> no problem. >> that doesn't cook very long then? >> i cooked the pasta already. >> now of course we're using parmesan on top of this. before we stop, i want to talk

about this other ragu that we have got going on. >> those are wild mushrooms, we have sauteed those down a little bit. this is simply egg yokes, a little bit of cream and parmesan cheese. we took some porcini mushrooms. a little bit of toast points on the side. dig n it's perfect cold cold days. >> perfect for today as are you. thank you so much. >> happy holidays. >> now here's lester. thanks is a season of giving, but for some students, it goes on year round. jenna bush is here to explain. >> we found a group of college kids in upstate new york who swap out friday night parties for friday night play time with kids affected by autism. >> reporter: it's friday afternoon on the st. rose campus in albany, new york. while most students are getting ready to go out and blow off steam, grad student rachel coza

is spending her time in a fairly unconventional way with a special group of friends. >> i think it's a natural passion that i have, i love children, children with special needs, they're just the kids that i'm drawn to. >> reporter: rachel is one of 100 students volunteering working with autistic children and teens, helping them develop social skills through recreation. >> the college students bring incredible talent to the situation. so they're the ones that provide the activities. so we have things like videoography, history, science, yoga, tai chi. >> how do you get enough college students to participate in this? >> sometime you have to turn people away because there's so many volunteers who want to be in this program. >> reporter: while the kids are playing and learning, the parents get some well deserved time for themselves. for many of the parents this is their only break in the week. >> we're in it together.

even though we're all different, and our children are all different, it's kind of like a n nice support. >> reporter: what do you want to be when you grow up? >> a scientist. >> reporter: a scientist? what kind of scientist? >> i want to be every kind of scientist. >> reporter: what should we call the hotel? casa jenna? this is casa jenna? i want to check in. >> hey, robert, can i get one? wow. >> how emotional is it for you to be able to see your child developing just from having come here a couple of times. >> it's always moving to see people wanting to help others. it's the best part of life, i think. >> it's the academic special and the social pressure, and it's very, very hard. but it's nice to come. >> look how many words you can say now, or look at his social

skills. >> reporter: and having spent a friday night with those kids, it's a feeling i can definitely understand. >> see, look what we did, evelyn, i'm really proud of our work. do you love it? high-five. rock on. and we want to extend a nice congratulations to all the student who is volunteer at the college of st. rose for their efforts to teach and entertain these kids year in and year out. it's not on easy thing and it's sometimes frustrating. coming up, all the fun we had in 2010 here on the "today" show. we have got some clips. i don't know, you guys. baton down the hatches. i don't know. that's all coming up.

good morning to you. i'm laura garcia-cannon. we'll take you over to mike. >> southbound 880, the middle lane you will see a crew heading over there. there may be a temporary slowing of traffic as you're heading south of highway 87.

keep that in mind. they should have that cleared in a few minutes. we the south, entirely green. moreavews after this.

investigators say they know who owns a pair of pit bulls that attacked a woman. they already talked to the owner once before about the dogs running loose. one is under quan teen. the other dog remains on the loose this morning. brent will have another update in another 25 minutes or so. "today" show returns in a minute.

have a great morning. last week we called california's 22% high school dropout rate an epidemic which prompted these calls for reform. jean, what about trade schools? teach kids what they need to get a job or career. our drop out rate in california is embarrassing. california could use a school to work program that prepares our students to join the workforce. a former teacher from oakland said teachers are highly underpaid and under valued. have you surprised our children are failing? mark took issue with childrens

first.org. create an environment which attracts them to these position. union bashing and witch hunt for the bad teachers is a poor start. join ourebatet a nbditorials.com. _-_-_-_-_-_ your

mouth this time, r. some news you can use if you're trying to get your debt under control. we have some tips to make it easier to pay off your balance coming up. first let's get right to the cleanup and the backlog of flights. we have got three reports beginning with nbc's jeff rossen here in new york city. hey, jeff, good morning. >> reporter: people are trying to get home, aren't they, days after the holiday, let me show you what they're facing, we're standing on 93 street at lexington avenue. this is the sidewalk. here's what happens when you step off to the curbs, right into a snow drift. that's the problem, the plows keep coming through and taking care of the side streets, but as they do it, they're plowing cars in, a few women were walking down the streets with shovels, looking to dig out their cars. that's part of the issue today,

but there is some good news today, airports are back open here in the northeast. also all three major new york airports which have been closed for days and the trains are running again too. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: you know it's bad when the plow has to be towed. in this home video posted on youtube monday-- >> oh, my god. >> reporter: new york city workers are call on camera smashing a parked suv in brooklyn. the sanitation department tells nbc this is common during storms and the car's owner will likely be paid for the damage. emergency vehicles all over the city, stuck, just like tens of millions of people up and down the east coast. driving home. >> stuck for about 20 minutes, just going around in a circle. >> reporter: how are you feeling? >> it's just awful, the city's just completely shut down. >> reporter: stuck on subways. these passengers were trapped for six hours because of a snow

drift and stuck in airports. sleeping and waiting for days. any idea when you can get home? >> they have us confirmed for wednesday. >> reporter: wednesday. >> and we're going to be on stand by all day. >> reporter: monday night new york's major airports all reopened, some good news, but it doesn't mean the airlines are ready to go. thousands of flights have been canceled and hundreds more already precanceled tatoday. problems in the busy northeast ripple through the country, from atlanta. >> all i want to do is go home, because there's no place like home. >> reporter: to chicago. >> now i can't get out until friday. >> reporter: to denver. all the way to los angeles. >> we're going to do everything we can to make our vacation happen, but mother nature, she's

in charge. >> reporter: airlines hope to resume normal operations later today or tomorrow. another option, the train, passengers in philadelphia were stranded for hours monday even as amtrak resumed service. >> all the trains are sold out and everything is delayed anyway. so i have to wait until sometime later in the week. >> reporter: the digout will take days. >> i'm from orlando, and this is the first time i have ever seen snow. i am freezing but i love it. >> reporter: happy to report, those girls i mentioned looking for their car to dig out, it appears have finally found it. although they may be here for the next several hours. just checking in with the airlines, hundreds of precancellations for flights in the northeast today, but that's better than it has been. at this time yesterday there were thousands of flights

canceled. the football game that was sacked by the storm is now set for tonight. michelle kosinski is there. >> reporter: sunday night's weather was absolutely brutal. all up and down the east coast, and you know, it is still brutal right now. tough to deal with then, tough to deal with today. but philadelphia, people had one more thing on their plates t postponement of that'sle eagles-vikings game. some people thought that was just too much. it's going to be held tonight, we just heard, we thought we were going to have some video there for you and some sound. but we had just a raging debate going on. you have the philadelphia news calling the people who decided to postpone the game, the whimps that stole christmas from football fans, pointing out that many historic games have been

played in blizzards and you even had the governor of pennsylvania ed rendell going head to head with a local radio talk show host saying there are no cancellations in football, games have been played in 60 below windchills. he kind of extrapolated this to the issue of whether, in his words, we're becoming a nation of wusseys. the debate went on and on here in philadelphia. it was 1932 the last-time an nfl game was postponed. back then it was only postponed for a couple of hours. this one postponed by two whole days. that's why plenty of people are upset and worried it might set some kind of precedent. but people can rest assured it will be played tonight, unless we get some other kind of weather coming in, but this is as much minnesota weather as folks here in philadelphia can handle. >> the vikings will like that. you can catch the eagles and

vikings in a special tuesday night edition of sunday night football starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern time right here on nbc. and that blast of winter weather has left people shivering as far as florida. sou in florida, nbc's kerry's sanders is bundled up in lakeland. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, i'm standing in front of some frozen fields with strawberries. they're coating them in ice to keep them warmer at 32, but apologies to my dentist, that's how rock solid these strawberries are. i snapped a picture this morning of my car with the record 21 degrees here, asking the question, this is florida? it's a winter wonderland, but this is florida where the nation's winter citrus and strawberries are this morning n

encased in a cocoon of ice. >> these are frozen all the way through. >> reporter: what does that mean? >> that means it's going to dry up and fall off the tree. we don't have many ways to get to the canning plant to get the united states out of it. >> reporter: this is the third time this month that this farmer lost crops due to freezes. >> we have got the same thing to look forward to in january and february. >> reporter: the weather this month has already cost florida's agriculture industry $275 million and with the nonstop rain in california earlier this month, damaging winter crops there, nationwide consumers can expect prices to keep rising. throughout the south, states not used to a heavy dump of snow are still in shock, although few complained about a rare white christmas. it's just now, it's still here.

>> out plowing all night and we have got the four-wheel drive going, go a little slower. >> reporter: in californsouth c drivers are now digging for patience. nearly a foot of snow fell in norfolk, virginia the third biggest dump there in a century. and on the coast, digging deep to find their cars. back in florida, some jacksonville residents reported flurries. and a water main break made for even more treacherous conditions on the roads. and even further south, in miami, where folks normally go to escape the cold weather, even in this tropical paradise residents and tourists alike are trading swimsuits for snow suits. a freezing month and this is the supposed temperate south. >> if you're born and raised in the farming business, you just learn to deal with it.

>> reporter: so how strange is this, it's 21 degrees in lakeland, florida, 22 in atlanta. not to rub it in if you're in new york, but we're going to be in the mid 70s tomorrow, how about for you guys? >> stop it, kerry sanders. enjoy the weather. >> i think we have an assignment in minnesota for him. i just heard that in my ear. you'll be hearing from the assignment desk soon. >> we're serious, kerry. >> no, we're not, it's just a joke. >> we want to get your forecast in just a minute. >> natalie new orleans has go-- morales has got a check of the weather. a new storm is going to spread rain and mountain snow from washington state in oregon

to central california. this after a week of potential downpours wreaked havoc on southern california. even causing this major roadway to be swallowed up in a mountain landslide. though there was some good news out west, while four women have been lost while snowshoeing in washington state have now been found alive and well. warmer temperatures and melting snow are causing problems in paris as well. the river sane is rising, forcing a halt to river traffic. shoppers spent more this holiday season than any other year since the start of the recession. and as the numbers continue to roll in, it could turn out to be the best season on record. even the blizzard that tore up the east coast, couldn't keep shoppers from hitting the sales rack. five teenagers have been found dead in a florida motel room outside of miami, apparently of carbon monoxide poisoning. the teens had left the car

running in an adjoining garage. the five teens had rented the room to celebrate one of their birthdays. authorities say the deaths were likely accidental. u.s. authorities were reportedly targeted by nine men arrested in the uk. they are accused of plotting terrorist attacks on targets including the american embassy and the london stock exchange. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has a plan for an interim peace deal if the peace talks get off track. palestinian negotiators said it's time to make permanent decisions. it has been a good year for natalie portman, not only has he starred in "black swan" but she also announced that she's gained to the film's choreographer and

dance partner. their wedding will be sometime in the spring. congratulations to her. >> she is a nice person. that wasn't the guy in the film, though was it? >> yeah, he was her dance partner in the film. >> yeah, baby. that's what we're talking about. and talk about the dance with the weather. >> let's show you what's happening, we're talking about that big storm getting out. but we're also talking about freezing cold, our good buddy kerry sanders rubbing it in. freeze warnings, hard freeze warnings down to central florida, temperatures only into the 30s in orlando, 46 in miami, they do rebound rather nicely into the 60s today, and as kerry mentioned up into the 70s tomorrow, but we have got another big storm coming into actually, we'll talk about it right now. take a look at this storm pushing in. we've got light rain over the north bay. that's going to turn over to

moderate rain later on this afternoon by about 5:00 p.m. look for moderate to heavy rain in the north bay spreading south and at 10:00 p.m., looks like the entire area will be getting slammed by a very strong storm. clearing though as we head through the early portions of tomorrow. then the cold sets in. could see three inches in the north bay. >> and that's your latest weather. coming up next, from the food to the festivities, what you can do to recover from the most common holiday ailments. plus a look back at all the crazy fun we had here in 2010 on "today." but first, these messages. [ lemaoufenn ] aernc

[ female announcer ] what will you gain when you lose? pride. pizzazz. sass! [ laughter ] [ woman ] i'm feeling that! [ female announcer ] the special k challenge begins january 1st. free personalized plans at specialk.com. whout t n wwhen you los free personalized plans at specialk.com. delicious news for dessert lovers. introducing activia dessert. rich yogurt with desserty flavors

like strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. mmm. you've got to try this. ♪ activia activia dessert. this morning on "today's" health, recovering from the holidays. christmas is behind us, the new year just five days away. with all that holiday cheer and stress it's probably taken its toll. joining us is tanya bennington, university center medical center. with new year's coming up, christmas just behind, obviously our bodies are just feeling a little run down, things not quite right. and usually to start things off, we're eating stuff we normally don't, we get some stomach issues. >> definitely, we're eating fatty foods, sweet foods, salty foods and we forget the greens, fiber. if you have to choose between the pig in a blanket and an

asparagus spear, you choose the big in a blanket. also you overuse alcohol, you're not following your normal routine, you get heartburn. >> what do we do to counter act this stuff? >> clearly hydration, fiber is very important because it absorbs the water, kind of bulks things up to clear things up, so the heartburn, you know, over the counter antacids are great, you have to be careful with heartburn because other medical problems can look like heartburn, heart attack, gal stones, it's probably time to go to your doctor and get that checked out. >> we were just talking before the break and the fact that it's the holidays, but you're doing a lot of stuff, the shopping, the parties, you can feel run down and tired. >> you're overcommitted, you're not listening to your body, you keep going, keep going. you get fatigued, you get stressed and you're not sleeping right and it takes its toll,

definitely. >> especially for a lot of folks who have stopped exercising. you can exercise. >> the days are really short so you here not getting light and people tend to stay couped up indoors, whether you work or at home. if you don't want to go to the gym, put a hat on and go out for a walk. get some air, get things moving. >> you also realize, all of a sudden, your skin feels a little rough, skin problems are tough this time of year. >> you throw in lack of sleep, you're eating poorly, your skin really does reflect your health on the inside. >> the fact that you have been drinking a little more probably doesn't help. >> you're drinking alcohol, you're probably not drinking enough water. a humidifier is actually helpful because it's so dry that your skin kind of dries out. it's helpful at night to kind of

humidify everything. >> always moisturize. >> death. >> this is the time of year, we always find that adults on average get two to three colds a year, and they say untreated, it will go about 14 days, if you treat it it will last about two weeks. >> not a lot you can do for a cold. >> the number of people i saw in my office, who were just teetering on the edge of a cold. that's when you need to cancel your plans and go to bed, get some rest, drink plenty of fluids, you want to flush  everything out. this is the holiday, where we're hugging, we're kissing, you've been exposeded to a lot of people. it's not because it's cold outside. >> my wife says it, i don't want to use the term old wife's tale because i get in trouble. but is it not caused by oh, you went out with your hair wet or something? >> there's two reasons, yes, viruses do very well in a nice,

cold, dry climate. but it's really more that we spend more time indoors, we're more indoors, we're talking, we're touching doorknobs and in nicer weather you're outside. >> what can we do for the new year to give ourselves a good healthy start. >> get outside, like we discussed. also the shuffoveling that we h to do. this is not the time to pick up exercise for the first time. actually shoveling can be very dangerous. slow exercise routine, don't go out with a bang, it can be really dangerous. start with your doctor, get a nice check up of what you need to do for the new year. everyone wants that reset button for the new year. you go to your doctor, they say your cholesterol is here, you blood pressure is here.

you know you're doing everything you can to take care of your body. >> coming up, we have got specific advice on how to get card companies lower your interest rates. buzzsaw? buzz what? i'm dan now. we're getting the band back together, you in? i don't think, uh... you're not in. not in. [ male announcer ] for a limited time, get 0% apr financing on select new corollas, camrys & tundras. plus, every new toyota comes with toyota care, featuring a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. this legendary event only happens once a year. don't miss out on the amazing deals at toyotathon. hurry in today. at toyotathon. activia has delicious news for dessert lovers. often, the best part of a meal is the dessert. but sometimes after a busy day and a big dinner... my system needs some tlc. now there's something that's just right. activia dessert. rich, silky, smooth yogurt with desserty flavors like strawberry cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, and peach cobbler.

and because it's activia, it helps regulate my digestive system. mmm. works for me. ♪ activia activia dessert. in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. i'm loving weight watchers new pointsplus program and the edge it's giving me. ♪ and i'm feeling good go on, join for free. weight watchers new pointsplus. because it works. [ male announcer ] confused what to get? click on the robitussin relief finder. click on your symptoms. get the right relief. makes the cold aisle easy. the robitussin relief finder. it's that simple. my bliss? lips that feel soft, smooth, kissable.

my blistex? silk and shine. real silk extracts. with a touch of shine. discover bliss. discover blistex. >> man: getting across town to a job interview is stressful enough without being late. i want guidance that takes me where i need to be, without any problems along the way. i feel the same way when i do taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. and calculations are guaranteed 100% accurate, so i know it's done right. they even offer representation in case of an audit. which helps me reach my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> try turbotax online now. you don't pay unless you're satisfied coming up, a festive idea for your new year's menu. >> plus we take a look at the od e have had over the past year. >> coming up after your local news and weather. e chewy bar.

how'd you do that? do what? it tastes too good to be fiber. you made it taste like chocolate. it has 35% of your daily value of fiber. do it again. turn it into something tasty. this guy's doing magic. there's chocolate chips in here now. how'd you do that? right! tasty fiber, that's a good one! ok, umm...read her mind. what's she thinking? that's right! i'm not thinking anything! [ male announcer ] fiber one chewy bars. cardboard no. delicious yes. [ male announcer ] introducing glad odor shield with febreze freshness. ♪

the only trash bags that neutralize odors with febreze freshness. ♪ good morning, the time is 9:26. checking on the sunol grade. >> there are reports of a car on the shoulder, smoking vehicle on the side of the road. tl there's no slowing and no follow-up reports, maybe a person with an overheated engine. we do have slowing finally through antioch. this is the first time we're seeing slowing here. a little slow on eastbound 4 coming through concord and maybe 680, speeds dip down below 60. a very light volume of traffic

through the walnut creek interchange. maybe some rain. >> oh, yes, rain and more to come. this is what's happening right now. light scattered showers pushing through the north bay turning over to moderate rain throughout the area between 5:00 and 10:00 tonight. we're expecting heavy downpours, and could pick up to three inches on the valley floor. rob will have the latest for you today at 4:30.

heartbreaking news for the family and friends of a 40-year-old richmond woman. they have identified the body as jill marie abbott. she was found friday along a bike trial at keler avenue. the coroner's office has conducted an autopsy but they have yet to determine how abbott died. family and friends last heard from her wednesday night but they knew something was wrong when she didn't show up for

christmas. another woman's body was found last week but investigators do not believe the cases are connected. efforts to balance the state budget have hit another snag. the state cannot sell government buildings until a ruling concerning claims that the sales are illegal can be made. three former members of the state building authority say selling state buildings is unlawful gifting of public funds and bypasses the state judicial council. california is trying to sell 24 state-owned buildings to help close the budget gap. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. have a great morning and we'll see you back here in a little bit. save $523! 16 minutes could save you 16%! come on... isn't it time an auto insurer gave it to you straight? that's why you should talk to state farm. but not yet. first, talk to any one of the 40 million drivers who already have state farm. 40 million. yeah, that's more than geico and progressive combined.

by a lot. 40 million drivers. more savings. and discounts up to 40%. where else you gonna get discounts like that? call an agent at 1-800-state-farm or go online. knew if i lived long enough my dreams could come true and they have. >> you just never know what's going to happen in studio 1a. but one thing is for certain, fun will be had. coming up in this half hour, we'll take a special look back at the laughs we shared in 2010. it's always fun to look at those antics, planned and unplanned. >> yes, the things that go wrong that actually go right. >> i don't think anything's ever really that planned here. >> well, there's that. >> also ahead, we'll be talking about helping you balance your

budget because the holidays are not quite over but they soon will be and those hefty credit card bills will begin to show up. so coming up a step by step plan to lower the interest rates on your credit cards. chef marcus samuelsson is here with gourmet hot dogs. >> first i have to do the weather. let's show you what's happening as far as today is concerned, we are looking at some strong storms moving into the pacific northwest with heavy rain, strong winds, into central california, mountain snows, here in the east, things calm down, still a little windy, but not as bad as it's been. tomorrow we have got cold weather, but sunshine in the northeast, chilly through the northern plains, heavy snow through the central rockies, showers down through the southern good morning to you, bay

area. light scattered showers pushing through the north bay. we'll turn over to moderate rain by this afternoon 5:00 p.m. we're expecting heavy rain all across the bay area. and then by tonight, at 10:00 p.m., the heaviest rain arrives clearing by tomorrow morning. wherever you're headed make sure you travel cautiously this morning and have a great day. >> that's your latest weather. and we want to remind you, we have got sunday night, football night in america. that's right, but it's on tuesday. because we couldn't play on sunday. lincoln financial field, clear and cold, diminishing winds, temperatures in the 20s, windchills in the teens, on sunday night, even though it's tuesday night, football night in america. it's like a bonus.

>> we'll be watching. i'm a major eagles fan. it's going to be a big game. >> a heck of a season. up next, the secret to lowering the interest rates on your credit cards, what you need to know after this. "the class of its class right now." but that's not the only story. it's got turn-by-turn navigation, onstar, an available six-speed automatic transmission, remote keyless entry, and 10 air bags. it's a big story for a compact car. the all-new chevrolet cruze. get used to more. very well-qualified lessees can get a low-mileage lease on a 2011 chevrolet cruze ls for around $159 a month. call for details. just joined? new year's resolution! we want a healthier lifestyle... so we can have more energy to do more stuff. healthy lifestyle? well, you should also start enjoying activia or activia light. activia, for us? sure, it's for people who want to feel good inside. when you feel good,

you're more likely to get out there and enjoy life! mmm! mmm! i like this resolution. mm-hmm! here is the activia promise-- love how you feel or your money back! ♪ activia cozy up, spread joy. there's no story without a cast of characters, and just like we mix and mingle, so do the delicious tastes and textures in every handful of chex mix. we're made to mix. covergirl trublend has skin twin technology. other makeup can sit on your skin, so it looks like...makeup. but trublend has skin twin technology to actually merge with your skin. how easy breezy beautiful is that? trublend...from covergirl. ♪ ♪ maxwell house international. stop your world. ♪

sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. pride.

pizzazz. sass! [ laughter ] [ woman ] i'm feeling that! [ female announcer ] the special k challenge begins january 1st. free personalized plans at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose? hey tough guy, that cold needs alka seltzer plus! it has the cold-fighting power of an effervescent packed in a liquid-gel for all over relief! hiyah! dude! this morning on "today's" money, lowering your credit card interest rates. a must if you're trying to become debt free. david backe is the founder of finish rich.com and the author

of the new book debt free for life. you make the point that nulls you make those rates lower it's going to be very hard to get out of debt. >> if your rate is over 20% interest, every payment you're making is just going to interest and your debt is not shrinking. you need to renegotiate those interest rates and we have got a plan for you. >> why is a five-step plan going to work? >> a lot of people make one phone call and they say, could you lower my rates? they hang up and say it didn't works. here's the good news, they're starting to say yes. the last quarter, credit card companies sent out 1 billion credit card applications more than a year ago, so the spigot has been opened on getting new credit cards and getting rates lowers. >> step one, figure out how much interest you're really paying. now a lot of people are surprised by this. >> exactly.

so a lot of times people will sign for a low interest rate credit card and the rate's been raised and they don't know it. call your credit card company and ask them what the apr is. next go online and google your current credit cards. the exact same credit card, they're offering 0 or 5%. you want to know the new rate for new customers so when you call the credit card company you're in a position to say, you're offering new customers 20% less than me so what can we do to get my rate lowered. >> shop for a lower rate. >> compare credit cards all over the country. a simple way to do that. credit card.com is probably the number one site that i go to compare rates. another website is low cards.com. they have got hundreds of credit card offers. the other one is credit card paying.com. you actually put in your credit

card information and companies can compete for your business. >> next step you say is compare national averages. this is information that you say also available on the internet? >> you want to know what your credit score is and what the credit card companies have five different types of credit rate that is offer based on your credit score. this comes from card track.com. know your credit score, care compare it to the credit rate. you should not be paying a punitive rate if you've got a high credit score, you should be at a prime rate or lower. you can say guys my credit score is 720, you've got me at nine points above prime rate. either lower the rate or shop for a new rate and transfer that balance over to the new credit card.

>> what should you do? >> be nice on the phone. because being nice really helps a lot. if the first person you talk to can't help, a lot of times they k ask for a supervise. >> but you usually get there is no supervise. >> it's not true. i just went through this with somebody. i said give me the phone, we'll make the calls together. he was at 29.99%. i won't tell you it was a huge success. but by the time we got to the supervisor, we got him down to 24.9%. the supervisor said if you pay your bills for 90 days, chances are i can get you below 20%. get the name, get the badge number, make notes on your file and you can also follow up and try to get the rate lowered. >> and for those of you who are having a very hard time paying off your debt, ask for a hardship or a debt management plan.

>> it will require the accounts to be frozen or closed. they are forbearance plans, which the credit cards offer directly. there are over a million people in these plans, or debt management plans, debt management plans are run for nonprofit credit counselors, millions of people in these plans. and the credit card companies have these plans so they can help you get out of credit card debt. so there's lots of options to lower your rate. >> it's called debt free for life and as always, thanks. coming up next, we take a look at all the fun we had in 2010. we've taken all we know about reading and put it here. introducing nook color. experience millions of books like never before. relax with the magazines you love. anytime, anywhere share your favorite books with your favorite people. and watch in amazement as your children's stories come to life.

books, magazines, newspapers, and children's books, all at your fingertips. nookcolor by barnes and noble. delicious news for dessert lovers. introducing activia dessert. rich yogurt with desserty flavors like strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. mmm. you've got to try this. ♪ activia activia dessert. that lets you eat six times a day? yeah, baby! try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. 3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim fast. who has time to slim slowly? it's your fault. naturally, blame the mucus. well, i can't breathe. did you try blowing your nose? of course. [ both ] and nothing came out. instead of blaming me, try new advil congestion relief. what you probably have is swelling due to nasal inflammation, not mucus. and this can help? it treats the real problem of your sinus symptoms, reducing swelling due to nasal inflammation.

so i can breathe. [ mucus ] new advil congestion relief. the right sinus medicine for the real problem. the event you've been waiting for is almost over with 30 years of great deals, everyone's going. fabio? ♪ wow. [ male announcer ] for a limited time, get 0% apr financing on select new corollas, camrys & tundras. plus, every new toyota comes with toyota care, featuring a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. this legendary event only happens once-a-year. don't miss out on the amazing deals at toyotathon. hurry in today. hi, may i help you? yes, i hear progressive has lots of discounts on car insurance. can i get in on that? are you a safe driver? yes. discount! do you own a home? yes. discount! are you going to buy online? yes! discount! isn't getting discounts great? yes! there's no discount for agreeing with me. yeah, i got carried away.

happens to me all the time. helping you save money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. i won't. ♪ [ female announcer ] clear some snow. ♪ or spread a little warmth. maxwell house gives you a rich full flavored cup of coffee so you can be good to the last drop. man: whoa! mom just caught air. not that she'll describe it that way to her book club. she'll probably say something like, "everyone had a wonderful time. the food was great. it was good to get away." but let's be honest... mom just caught air! now, there's a first. tell us what you've always wanted to do, on facebook. [ ship horn blows ]

"today" looks back 2010 is brought to you by mercedes benz, experience truly great engineering today at your authorized dealer. >> this morning on "today" looks back at 2010, the crazy fun we had over the last 12 months, buckle your seat belts. >> we interview newsmakers and heads of state of course, but some of the most memorable moments of 2010 are tied to all the laughs we shared. ♪ hello good morning ♪ hello good morning ♪ hello good morning ♪ i know you been waiting for it ♪ ♪ hello ♪ america, right about now you should turn your television sets

up and turn your lights down. ♪ hello good morning >> very nice. i missed you too. >> you are the epitome of somebody -- >> who's aging gracefully. >> thank you very much. >> if we were to get involved in a paint ball competition, who do you think would win? >> ann? >> why do you say that so quickly? >> well, she's so pretty. >> she paid you to say that. >> they're real and they're spectacular. >> yes, they r. >> i'm not going to get into the american idol story and speculate as to who's going to replace those judges, but just note meredith is not. >> meredith takes one day off and she doesn't waste any time getting to the couch. >> you say the size of the package is very important?

>> it actually is important because a trick some of these retailer also use is to shrink the size of the package. >> i'm sorry. something struck me as funny. >> do you have a load in your pants? no. >> we're going to end this madness. >> here's the billboard, right in front of our hotel, and take a look at this. who is that liliputian with the parted red hair? that is our own meredith vieira ruling cannes. >> hey, meredith. >> hey, meredith. ♪ i don't need anything but you ♪ ♪ we will we will rock you ♪ thank you for being a friend ♪ traveled down the road and

back again ♪ ♪ ti a drink with jam and bread ♪ >> this will go down as one of the strangest things we have ever done. ♪ going to go all night ♪ we're going to light it up like it's dynamite ♪ >> your co-workers get on your nerves, what do you do? i was thinking of matt lauer. ♪ ♪ watching the world wake up

♪ today's going to be a good day ♪ ♪ "today's" going to be a good good day ♪ >> whooo! >> nice little dance there. >> yeah. >> good time. >> i nearly took out amy robach with it. coming up next, we have got a swedish spin on hot dogs that will be a

this morning on "today's" holiday kitchen, we're whipping up swedish hot dogs. marcus samuelsson is the executive chef and owner of the new red rooster restaurant.

happy new year early. this is a swedish tradition? >> it is. one of my first jobs was working in a hot dog stand and we serve always hot dog with shrimp. so let me walking you through it. >> so we have the corn meal in here? >> and we have the flour. >> we have got the batter. >> and you add the dry ingredients, the eggs, whisk. >> this is a fun recipe you can do with the family. i'm adding some sugar and some salt. >> it's like a corn dog batter. >> definitely a corn dog batter. and we have it already made here. >> so we'll work that into a good, smooth batter like this. these are not your ordinary hot dogs. >> these are like german. >> like a bratwurst? >> yes. and i love these dogs. they are really, really good. and you can take, if you don't want to put in them, you can have any kind of chicken sausage. but you dip it in the corn

batter. and you just fry them like that. >> how hot does that oil have to be? >> this is about 320, 330. >> it's perfect like that. >> take it off and then the swedish always go with pickles and these, you have the sweet and salt. cucumbers here. >> very thinly sliced. >> this is my grandma's recipe. and then we have the pickling solution. >> how did you makes that? >> water, salt, sugar, vinegar, bay leaves. and i just bring that to a boil. and then let it sit for about two days. >> oh, i can't wait. and with that, i'm going to serve it with shrimp. look at that. you know what? you're going to get a taste

before i even fillet this. because when al and them get in, that's it. >> wow, that looks moroemore -- >> it's so good. >> and this is one -- >> this is how you ring in the new year. >> absolutely. >> i've got to tell you something, i'm not a big hot dog eater. >> i'm not either, but these are spectacular. >> i love this. and that sauce on top is fantastic. >> it makes it cool and nice. this is really what inspired the menu at red rooster. >> marcus, thank you so much. >> the pickles just add something.

>> what's that last thing in that, pepper? >> all spice. >> all spice, okay. >> are you good? >> i'm great. coming up, we have got kathie lee and hoda, and they're going to be helping us add some sparkle to our new year's eve.

good morning once again, everybody. i'm brent cannon. not a bad commute.

>> not a bad commute. there's the south bay, a little blip southbound 101 towards 85. right here, 17, we will have an issue getting towards the summit, you'll find standard speeds in the 50s. on the other side laurel road closing both directions. keep that in mind. golden gate bridge looking to the north we have a nice easy drive. low clouds but christina, i've been told the richmond/san rafael bridge has fog up there. >> yeah, fog up there and rain showers in the north bay. that will turn to moderate rain for the late afternoon and evening. by 10:00 tonight, the bulk of the moisture will come through from santa cruz even santa rosa. keep that in mind. we'll see clearing into wednesday. temperatures will plum met, down to 32 degrees on new year's eve.

50 degrees for new year's day. things are back to normal at bay area airports, snow on the east coast for several cancellations and delays at sfo. today everything seems to be running smoothly. people who were stuck here made it out eventually on red eyes. some slept yesterday in chairs and dealing with disappoint. >> a beatles show in broadway, but we couldn't because of the blizzard. >> there weren't as many problems in oakland because they don't have as many flights to the east coast. megamillions tickets could amount to 124 million if you take the cash option. if you want it, you have to get your ticket before the drawing tonight. it's at 8:00. mega millions involves 42 states. if nobody wins, the jackpot

rolls over to friday and gets even bigger. the "today" show returns in about a minute. we'll see you in a little while. save $523! 16 minutes could save you 16%! come on... isn't it time an auto insurer gave it to you straight? that's why you should talk to state farm. but not yet. first, talk to any one of the 40 million drivers who already have state farm. 40 million. yeah, that's more than geico and progressive combined.

by a lot. 40 million drivers. more savings. and discounts up to 40%. where else you gonna get discounts like that? call an agent at 1-800-state-farm or go online. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hey, everybody. welcome, it is tuesday, booze-day. it is december 28th. we're so happy you're here. >> we're hoping you are having a great little quiet restful women with your family. >> we have a few festive items on the table. >> should we start with the bowl? >> well, these are coming up later and i was starving so i tasted one. i said could i have an entire bowl of balls, please?

that's what this is. they are delicious. >> they're lamb balls. >> from carla hall. >> they are delicious. so good. these are amazing. >> all day long. to go with it, we have this recipe from "faq circle." >> cranberries, pumpkin spice, agave nectar and champagne. >> i'm so into the balls. >> a friend of mine doing a live shot when i lived in new orleans, he was talking about mardi gras balls where people dress up -- >> those kinds of balls. >> he was doing the live shot.

wait. he was doing the live shot, he goes they're going to hold their balls here. he kept saying it, literally the newsroom, we were busting out. >> what's funner in than balls? >> nothing. >> do you believe in the power of maybe or do you think it is rude? >> this is one of these deals where people invite you to a party an they say, hey, there's a party at my house, can you come. then you say, well maybe. i'll try. maybe. and sometimes in the rsvp if you have those rsvp e-vites. is that rude? i do respond maybe. because i don't know sometimes. >> excuse me. any party that's serving these balls i'm going to. i'm there. but doesn't it sort of depend on what kind of event you're invited to? >> an intimate dinner, sit down? don't say maybe.

because your hostess is left with a place setting. if it is a drive-by, and it's the big buffet set out and it is come, stay as long as you want kind of thing, i think a "maybe" is okay. >> they say it can be seen as rude. sometimes it is i don't want to say no. i hate to say that. that's terrible. i think it is better to say yes or no, make a decision than be in the middle. >> here's why i think most people say maybe. >> why? >> it is a bad part of human nature. because they're waiting to see if something better comes along. >> really? >> not me, of course, but people like you. you know what i'm saying? they're thinking i'm not sure what my plans are which means i may change my plans up when matt damon invites me to brunch. that kind of thing. you wait until end. then you show up because maybe you said maybe, there you are because nobody o else asked you to anything? is that not potentially a situation? either you can or you can't. >> yes or no. >> then commit and then that has happened to me a ton. >> what? >> where you said yes, then you

get an offer, the likes of which are -- what did yououououououou situation? >> the one time i happened -- >> usually i say no. i'm committed. i teach my kids that. you dance with the girl you came with. this particular time i was supposed to go to my friend sam's house for something that . kevin costner called frank and me and saidi'm havg presentmymye in l.a., would you like toedede make your balls spin. i said, sam -- >> he goes absolutely you have to go to gorbachev's dinner -- you to >> i told him what it was. >> he didn't understand. >> you don't know my sam. because you say look something else -- he says gogo! please go. what they're saying is i cannot

believe. >> it is not a huge thing. it was a wonderful typical event how mamany t times dodo y you g to kevin costner's house, one of my favorite houses in the world -- now ryan seacrest lives in it. i heve hihihihihihim, . >> kevin you love a little more. >> no, both lovove kevin.ting here'sd u cck innto a allo? is that a yes or no for you? >> a hotel that said yes to pets, would you check in? >> you know what? yeah, probably. that was dying and just ys wititititithimim a y you h h somewhere. but you wonder about these -- would you --re rfect. >> if you we justpepepepepepepe

your pet. you could just go to a hotel that's pet-frienen i i knowow w. frank called me this morning and he said bambino has no idea how little he is. he takes on everything. everything! stilill humping louis. >> i can see that as many times as we can show ))) i love. >> so there are some hotel chains that offer -- i think it's nice that they do. >> if you are missing your dog, some hotels off >> thisssssss i i i i i i iink . >> you can walk someone else's dog. >> that's why you went on vacation, so you don't have to walk any dogs. >> the fairmont plaza in boston they give you a black whhatat ? >> you get what they have.

they have special requests for people. >> excuse me. >> what? >> who asks for a fish to be put in their room? for once in your life, hoda. >> i think jo ann would ask for a fish. i think jo ann might. >> they're relaxing! >> so is a vacation without fish! >> here's another question. sometimes you go for a couple of days to a hotel one day or whatever and you want to work out but you don't want to drag your shoes and t-shirt and all that stuff. i lug my stuff around. explain why i say that. every time kath and i go out after the show i have a bag, a tote bag -- it weighs 6,000 pounds. >> sneakers and clothes and stuff in it. she says -- >> get a locker! get a locker! it costs $50 more at gym to get a locker. >> but i don't like that part of the gym. i like my part where you don't get a locker. >> you like the hunchback you're getting from carrying everything around. >> would you use other people's

running shoes, shorts and t-shirts that are offering free -- >> not enough clorox in the world. >> but you sleep in the sheets that someone slept in before you. >> what if i bring my own? >> i know you don't. >> no, something that's just nasty about working out. something very personal and nasty. it's like asking somebody to wear your underwear when you're not using it. i'm sorry. >> who -- >> there are people who would love to. >> you are sick. we have the ugly set of washington. we have a new prelim that's out called "casino jack." it is going to be a good one. one of the stars barry pepper is in it. >> what is so great about this dr. barry pepper? >> we'll find out.

[ female announcer ] black is always flattering. myth. flakes are the only sign of an unhealthy scalp. also a myth. there are several signs of an unhealthy scalp...

and the fact is, head & shoulders works on those too. with 7 scalp and hair benefits including relieving dryness, itch, even oiliness. because beautiful looking hair, starts with a healthy scalp... and that's a fact. head & shoulders. respect the scalp. love the hair. actor barry pepper has an impressive body of work that speaks for itself, earning him critical acclaim as well as an

emmy and golden globe nominee. >> in his latest film he makes lying look easy bringing a true story to the big screen as the lobbyist in account casino jack." >> i got a phone call this morning from the chief from the texas kickapooo. he wants to meet with bush about oil-drilling rights. he wants to get her done. he loves what we've done with the chippewa, baby! >> awesome! >> you play the bad guy so well. barry pepper, welcome. >> thank you for the glass of wine. >> we like to take good care of you. >> 'tis the season. tell us about -- is a story of jack abramoff. >> jack abramoff was a super lobbyist during the bush administration and brought in millions and millions of dollars to the republican campaign coffers and he teamed up with mike scanlon, who was a public relations consultant, and they

basically extorted $82 million from the indian casinos. >> there is a right way to do that during your campaign and there is the wrong way. you guys sort of took that road. >> yeah. >> what happened to your character? >> he's released now. it is this bizarre odyssey of greed and really just represents the tip of the tsunami in washington right now. it really hasn't been reformed at all. >> why do you all get these kinds of roles? >> that's a good question. >> i'm just so ig treeged by this script. it is remarkable that it is factual reporting. >> you guys are very true to the actual story. you don't take dramatic license with it. you ha >> you have to have a first amendment lawyer. it is obviously very honest. >> kevin spacey nominated for a golden globe in this movie. that must have been nice news.

>> any jealousy involved? >> no pe. 's highly deserving. >> twa thhat it was a totally i sorry laugh. >> so you're in another movie. called -- what's the other movie called? >> "true grit." >> is this your character named pepper? >> yeah. >> how does that happen? >> well, actually the brothers -- coen brothers didn't actually see me as the role so i read for it. i put myself in full costume and character and sent the tape in to them and they recovered me the role that way. >> that is so cool! >> what's that look? you're a veteran actor, you've done a lot of work. someone would think that's beneath them to read and send in a tape. >> not when you read a screen play like this. it is so remarkable and the novel it is based on is just absolutely brilliant. it's by charles portis. anyone wants to buy a great book for the holidays or any time to read to your children, it is a

fantastic novel. it is based on beat for beat. not the henry hathaway. >> not the original film with john wayne which is fascinating. it is called like american shakespeare because the rhythm of it and the poetry of it. >> it is gorgeous. yeah. like a hillbilly shakespeare. it's got this musicality. it fits the coen brothers so well. it is really lovely and really it is actually much more of a young woman sort of coming of age story. it is sort of like a female huckleberry finn. >> you didn't see the original one? >> no. i don't know robert duvall had played the original -- >> that's got to be a little intimidating. >> it never really came up in the course of the filming. our source material was the book and so -- but what a joy to work with those guys. and we had our premier at zig field theater and oh, man, the reception was incredible. the film is so beautiful. >> i love the original one.

i wouldn't want to be jeff bridges stepping in -- yet jeff if anybody could -- >> he's a great actor. >> i agree with you that the original was charming but i think there's two totally different films. >> that's good for people to know. it is not a comparison of sorts at all. >> not at all, no. john wayne is so intrinsically connected with this character that he casts such a big shadow. i'm not trying to replace him. it is really very much its own film. >> barry, good luck. >> you're sweet. >> really, really sweet! have a great rest of your holidays. still to come, what's your new year's resolution? sara hits the streets to find out. if you're ringing in the new year at a big bash, some inexpensive ways to add a little sparkle. sam yanks will be with us after this. that's a coffee and two pi. the afternoon tour begins with more pain and more pills. the evening guests arrive. back to sore knees. back to more pills. the day is done but hang on... her doctor recommended aleve.

just 2 pills can keep arthritis pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is lara who chose 2 aleve and fewer pills for a day free of pain. and get the all day pain relief of aleve in liquid gels. a man can only try... and try...and try. [ male announcer ] honey nut cheerios tastes great and can help lower cholesterol. bee happy. bee healthy. ♪ sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported.

abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. takes care of 33 loads. tide stain release only handles 11. and clorox 2 gets rid of tough stains right before your eyes. clorox 2. find it next to the clorox bleach.

welcome back to "today's style." we're just days away from one of the biggest parties of the year.

>> if you want a little sparkle without spending a lot of money, we have the perfect accent for your outfit. sam yanks of "gotham" magazine. >> happy new year. thank you for having me. >> this is a champagne, cranberry and something. >> "family circle." >> you're going to add a little sparkle -- >> i like it better with the balls though. they sort of went together nicely. >> i meant the meatballs. lamb balls. >> anyway, it is new year's. and it is time to do it up with accessories. investing in a little sparkle, not talking about clothing. >> give a black dress a brand-new sparkle. >> exactly. just do it up with accessories. so in that necklace department we have been talking about tons of pearls and rhinestones and all of that for a while. now it is super, super clean,

super modern. >> it is? nobody told me. >> we have two examples. the first one is from h & m. $13. >> i can't believe the prices they have there. >> $13. >> you can't make that for that seems to me. >> it is a little crafty. we could try. then this one is from armani exchange and it is $60. also a really good price. >> i see flats. when i think of new year's eve i don't think flats but tell us why. >> you might want to have them in your little purse. >> or if you run from party to party. >> if you're lucky enough to go to one party, be these aren't for you. if you're running around, these could be great. >> super cute! >> you can wear them after the holidays with a little white dress or jeans in the summer. >> do you have to be someone unique to pull off the headband so it looks cute? >> i think it is a bit youthful.

>> and your point is? >> i don't know if i'm runninging around running i around in a headband either. they're adorable, affordable -- >> stupid for somebody my age. at some point you have to say nobody wants to see your face. >> cover it up with hair. >> there you go. nothing you, hoda, but maybe cassidy. >> they're from express, all $24 and under. okay. can't talk about going anywhere without carrying your stuff with you in your purse. these are so adorable from j. crew. $60 each. take the chain off if you want a clutch or if you're drinking a few glasses of champagne and think you might lose your bag, use it as a little messenger bag. >> did you hear what she's telling you? >> i was not implying! >> anyway, all right.

>> this one you couldn't keep your little shoes in but this one you could. >> if you need to carry your flats around with you, this is great, a larger clutch. it is $80. >> i like those sparkly items. >> kate has her eyes on them over there. >> they're from express. they're $30. >> you're kidding! >> you know what? those are gorgeous. those are pretty. here's one for $16. there you are. let's go to the bracelet department. >> so big, large, note worthy statement. really, really big. this is from an amazing site, everything on the site is $29.95. >> how can they do that? >> shreincluding shipping! it is super comfy.

>> oh, my gosh! have you not gotten a manicure? >> i've been busy. >> that's cute. that looks like you. you have something kind of like this. >> jennifer miller, $60. i like that. stars on it, just so beautiful. >> very lightweight. >> last 30 seconds. >> you are very selfish. >> our last thing you can't forget about our adorable shoes. these are from isabel toldeo for pay less. they're $45. isabelle toledo is one of michelle obama's ferret designers. coming up next -- don't want to deal with a lot of flibbity-flab or mumbo-jumbo. sounds like you need to name your price. no gobbledy-gook? never. do i still get all the dagnabbit coverage i need? sure. we give you a quote and you can adjust your price up and down to find something that works for you.

♪ this thing is okey-mcsmokey skiddly-doo. great! i think. diggity. oh! still not sure. the "name your price" tool. only from progressive. call or click today. but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. citracal. - definitely the one on the right. - yeah, are y-- - seriously, the clorox one. - oh, okay. the difference is obvious. for the whitest whites, use detergent, plus the advanced whitening formula of clorox bleach. covergirl trublend has skin twin technology. other makeup can sit on the surface of your skin, so it looks like...makeup. but trublend has skin twin technology to actually merge with your skin. you get skin twin coverage that's perfectly true. and you're more perfectly you.

[ female announcer ] plus, with trublend, you always get a perfect match. if you're a shade 1 here, you're a 1 here... and here. how easy breezy beautiful is that? trublend...from covergirl. good morning once again. i i'm brent cannon. we're checking in with mike. >> we have a slow backup from the south tower over to the toll plaza. just finished scrubbing lanes and people should be moving smoothly on a clean roadway. fog advisory from the richmond bridge to the north. ramp closure on eastbound 80. that won't reopen until about 2:00, 3:30 this afternoon. take highway 4 over to interstate 80 and head north or eastbound over to the bridge

itself. take a look at your live picture here. you can see we have overcast skies and low clouds out there. all ahead of a potent front. first you'll see the winds pick up for the next couple of hours and heavy rain spreading throughout the area. make sure you're ready for up to 2 inches of rain in the south and east bays, 3 inches in the north bay. this will turn over to rainy conditions tonight. we have more news for you on the back end thf break.

since april of last year they won try games in a row. ellis put up points and 12 assists. the next game is tomorrow in atlanta. late last night palo alto guard was shipped out of oakland now heading to reno. he played 17 of the team's 29 games and is excited to get a little more playing time and grow as a player. the stanford football team is going to play against virginia tech on monday. it might not be andrew's final game. he was expected to be a top pick in the early draft but there are reports he could stay in stanford for another year. his father would like to see him stay in school because there

could be a nfl strike next season and could be a short or nonexistent season. laura and i will see you back here tomorrow morning. have a great day. welcome back to "today" on this booze-day. many of you will be boozing it up in a few days to ring in the new year. be careful. >> if you don't have to leave the kids at grandma's house for having a good time, here are ways to throw a kid-friendly party. carla hall and elizabeth mayhew, editor in chief of "woman's day" magazine. >> what a team! >> carla, your balls are quite the hit! >> i am so excited. i love it when you like my balls. >> what do we have on table one? >> on table one we have gruyere crisps.

>> i don't even eat them anymore because it is cheese but i'm going to do it because of you. >> elizabeth is doing this great theme on thyme. >> the whole point is that to decorate your table, get black-eyed peas. you know they're good for the new year. you fill those up. you can use fresh flowers or -- we use fake flowers, super easy. we then got inspiration from plates from pottery barn and used adhesive numbers. i know you guys like to drink. carla made a drink and also you can fashion -- just take numbers, 2011. >> that's adorable! >> we've got rum, a pomegranate liqueur, orange juice, a little bit of lemon and cranberry juice. >> oh my god. >> smack your mama good. >> she said smack your mama

good. >> leave it. >> drop the drink. right there. >> here you have lamb balls. >> of course you do. >> instead of having all of those sauces -- they're really small. you just pop them in your mouth. >> these are bigger though than real lamb balls. i've been told by the crew. our crew would know. >> doing with a fennel and cucumber sauce, still keeping the feel of the mediterranean. for our drink we have champagne and we have a little bit of orange juice. >> i just put a little just some glue on it, some glitter. add bling to your plastic to go with your balls. >> blood orange juice for the color. >> this table, literally use your christmas decorations to

not have to go out and buy tons of stuff. we just stripped it down, used tinsel around the chairs, we went with the silver theme. take branches off your tree, paint them silver. >> that's a good idea. >> this is now your new year's -- so elegant. >> little bells for your balls. that's to ring in the new year. >> all right. okay. drop the drink. >> we have to go with the washington theme over here. >> our final table describe -- >> this is a kid's table. what we wanted to do is we really wanted kids to celebrate new year's around the globe. so as each time zone change, they would blow out the candle to celebrate that. >> that's so smart! >> we grabbed toys and things from around the house and put mats down. >> all the kids know pizza. we did a focaccia. you can use your world theme to

put whatever you want on that pizza and the kids can help. you all know i don't drink but i eat my alcohol. we have chocolate milk with whipped cream. >> i love this whole theme. this is such a great and easy way to ring in the new year. >> and really inspirational and educational too, hoda. >> isn't she on your nerves? er everyone agree right now, she's on your nerve. she's on my last nerve. >> car a la, you're terrific. thank you. up next, the story behind everyone has a story. right after this. i have asthma. and when my symptoms came back i'd get this tightness in my chest. so i went back to my doctor again. we chose symbicort to help control my asthma symptoms

all day and night. [ man ] symbicort improves my lung function, starting within 15 minutes. symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. it is a combination of two medicines and should not be taken more often than prescribed. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems, and children and adolescents may have an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma problems. symbicort is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine like inhaled corticosteroids. once your asthma is well controlled, your doctor will decide if you can stop symbicort without loss of control, and prescribe a long-term asthma control medicine. be sure to see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. symbicort is a good choice to help control my asthma all day and night. [ inhales ] [ exhales ] ask your doctor if symbicort is a good choice for you. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. [ male announcer ] it's here. the all-new chevy cruze. msn autos called it "the class of its class right now." but that's not the only story.

it's got turn-by-turn navigation, onstar, an available six-speed automatic transmission, remote keyless entry, and 10 air bags. it's a big story for a compact car. the all-new chevrolet cruze. get used to more. very well-qualified lessees can get a low-mileage lease on a 2011 chevrolet cruze ls for around $15a month. call for details. the moisturizer in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down.

dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. just joined? we want a healthier lifestyle. well, you should also start enjoying activia. for us? it's for people who want to feel good inside. when you feel good, you're more likely to get out there and enjoy life! mmm! mmm! i like this resolution. love how you feel or your money back! ♪ [ pop ] right now at h&r block, and you could get it fast., just bring in your tax information... and get a refund anticipation check. you pay nothing out of pocket. h&r block. never settle for less. hey tough guy, that cold needs alka seltzer plus! it has the cold-fighting power of an effervescent packed in a liquid-gel for all over relief! hiyah! dude!

we're back with "everyone has a story" where every month for the past two years we've been sharing the trials and triumphs of some very, very special people. >> today we thought we'd glif you a glimpse behind the scenes to see how we select these wonderful people and how it all just somehow comes together. i was deeply moved by a movie called "bella." it is about the sanctity of life and how incredibly beautiful

human life is. i was so moved by it i was inspired to write a song called "everyone has a story." i'm always looking for things that are unique about a story but also strangely universal and that everybody when they hear that story can relate and go, you know what? that happened to me. or that's like what happened to my mom. we invite every day so-called ordinary people but in reality they're extraordinary people. along with the help of our producers, kate and jamie, and my writing partner, david friedman, we sort through all the entries and pick a few stories each month that really tug at our heart. >> he is an amazing human being and i am proud to be his wife. we are redefine iing the abilitf life. >> once we've narrowed them down, kate reaches out to the finalists to hear more. while kate is doing the pre-interviews, david and i get busy working on the song.

living in the same building helps. >> i wonder if we shall keep the rhyme so it should go fairy tale, fail, then laughter and after might be stronger. ♪ >> this is so much fun! hoda's going to love this. ! let's go play it for hoda. she's in her apartment. we'll have to sing it. she doesn't have a piano. hoda woman! hoda! >> nobody's home! >> once the lyrics are written, we brainstorm for the perfect performer and our associate producer julie reaches out to check their availability. >> hi, this is julie calling from the "today" show. we were wonder if john is available. >> the winner is then given the good news live on the air. >> they are redefining happily

ever after in their life. hi, gabrielle. come see us in new york. all right? >> holy cow! i can't wait. >> once the winners land in mark we head to our green room and read their letter on camera. after we've taped, kate then sits down with an editor, adds music an pictures to the winner's letters to frep for air. in the meantime, david is busy rehearsing with the singer. ♪ we are lovers in our own fairy tale ♪ ♪ filled with tenderness and joy and laughter ♪ >> reporter: finally the big day is here. after a quick 6:00 a.m. rehearsal with the singers, the winners are prepped for air. and then, show time. ♪ we are lovers in our own fairy tale ♪ ♪ filled with tenderness and joy and laughter ♪

>> it was amazing. the song was absolutely gorgeous. >> wow. very cool. it's funny how many people still didn't realize that you actually wrote the words and david wrote the melodies. >> he's awesome. i'm crazy. i said david you write the second verse. he's a brilliant lyricist. it's been the most rewarding thing being here at the "today" show, bringing people's stories to america. great privilege. from behind the scenes to the best of, "everyone has a story." right after this.

more now of our inside look at our special series "everyone has a story." >> we showed you how it all comes together.

we thought you'd like to look at some of our very favorite moments. take a look. ♪ everyone has a moment that changes their life for them ♪ >> nancy wrote us about her son zach and the one choice he made that changed another boy's life together. >> i write today by my son zach. he is a freshman boy sitting alone at a table surrounded by a hundred students. he got up and sat with this boy. thankfully the boy, named graham, seemed happy for the company. shortly after that i met graham's mother. graham is autistic. for the first time ever graham is reaching out to others. >> what made you do it, zach? >> i knew he was a freshman and i just felt that no one needs to be sitting at lunch alone especially when it is tough for him to make friends. ♪ can you imagine if you'd never had a friend ♪ ♪ can you imagine if the

loneliness was all you'd ever known ♪ ♪ it's more than we could ever comprehend ♪ >> every time i say to myself, are we going to be able to capture it. you know? but i looked over and there was graham and he was -- you had tears in your eyes, buddy. did you like your song? >> yeah. it was a little too sad. >> today we'll meet captain bud willis who wrote us about the young combat marine who changed his life during the vietnam war. >> this marine was missing a leg, an arm, an ear and a eye. >> our crew transferred him to the medical staff and we waited to leave the area. i could see the wounded soldier motion for the crew chief to lean forward so he could tell him something over the noise of the row tar blades. captain willis, you know what he said to me? he said to tell the pilot thanks for the ride.

moat ♪ so we can say thanks another day ♪ >> becky walker wrote in to tell us about a friend who inspires her. >> my life inspiration comes from an amazing woman named christy. christy's life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with a deadly disease. pph is a disease that affects your lungs and their functional abilities. you would never know that she's facing a life threatening illness simply because she has always a spirit that's shining and her spirit just softens your heart. ♪ how beautiful the world around us could be ♪ ♪ if we could only open our eyes and see through miracles ♪ >> megan mitchen from worcester,

ohio. >> megan's letter captures us not so much because of her battle with breast cancer but for what she's doing to help women just like herself. >> i am a 39-year-old woman that was diagnosed last year with a very aggressive breast cancer. i underwent a bilateral mastectomy by reconstruction and then began chemo shortly there after. i started giving out a girlfriend's day to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients 40 years and younger. i have two amazing children that have shown me so many things through this journey. >> what did you guys think of mom without the hair? >> when she was getting her head shaved, i had a blanket over my head the whole time. until bedtime when she came up, i finally saw it and i'm like, hey, it's not that bad. ♪ so i don't want to miss one

moment ♪ not one single, solitary second. >> woo! >> thanks for all the incredible broadway stars who loan their talents and their great, great gifts to us. their voice changed as well when they were at the studio. >> it is great looking back. >> yeah, it is great. take it. we'll be back in a moment but first, this is "today" on nbc.

now to our series we like to call "sara on the streets." it is time to start thinking about your new year's resolutions. >> what will yours be? >> sara haines hit the streets to find pout. >> that's right. i decided to take a walk over to the nbc store and ask some folks

what some of their resolutions are. >> of course i always say i'll run and get in shape. that only last twoz hours. then you pass mcdonald's, you're like holy crap, double cheeseburger for $1. that's what i'm going to do. >> how long do you hold your resolution? >> about a month. >> spend for miami with my kids. >> get more sleep and to facebook more. >> how does facebooking more not counter -- that means you're going to be at your computer more which is also taking out of sleep time. >> be more productive. more messaging, keeping in touch. >> you're a digital stalker. >> i think everyone is. you definitely are. >> my resolution basically is to maintain attractiveness that i bring to the world next year as much as i've done this year. >> where are you hiding that right now? >> that's kind of rude, sara.

>> cut out sugar. i make the resolution in november and when january comes it never happens. >> can you kind of warm up through december? >> no. >> you can't even go without sugar for a hot second? >> no. >> you're probably right, you shouldn't be making resolutions. that's my question for you guys, what's your new year's resolutions? >> there are people that shunned make them. there are people that should. >> what are you talking about? i make mine every year, the same stupid one. i spend most of my life looking for my other shoe or my other glove. so i think it is getting organized. since i can remember. >> maybe you should start with your wallet. >> i know. my wallet is bad. okay, that's enough for me. >> i just say the usual ask that i would be a kinder and more considerate and for compassionate person every year. >> i'm sorry. >> i go to the same one all the

time. i always try to be more present. life is so busy. >> i absolutely disagree with the girl more facebook. you want more quality of life? >> the o other one was more sleep. duran duran is with us tomorrow. >> have a great day, everybody. i have fallen in love with making bird houses.

caw caw! [ director ]what is that? that's a horrible cr. here are some things that i'll make as little portals. honestly, i'd love to do this for the rest of my life so i've got to take care of my heart. for me, cheerios is a good place to start. [ male announcer ] got something you'll love to keep doing? take care of your heart. you can start with cheerios. the natural whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. brrrbb... makes you feel ageless. [ male announcer ] it's time. love your heart so you can do what you love. cheerios. [ bob ] squak.